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HISTORY

OF

LOUISA COUNTY

IOWA

From Its Earliest Settlement to 1912

By ARTHUR SPRINGER

ILLUSTRATED

VOLUME I

CHICAGO

THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1912

THE KEff YOIIK PUBLIC ID

99262K

ASTOK. I OLDEN | B

THE PIONEERS

The sturdy stuff of all their sires

Was molded in the race of them Who builded first their wayside fires

Along the primal forests' hem. Who dared the wilderness and fought

With wild men single-handed there; Who cleared the underbrush and wrought

Out destiny with patient care 1

In their small clearings, here and there,

By creek and river, as they fared, The settler's cabin braved despair

And challenged death and dared The awful loneliness that hushed

The hope that still survives — The mad'ning silences that crushed

The brightness out of lives !

They were the heroes of the race

Who conquered by the might Of manhood ; who stood face to face

With God and knew the right, And did it with a fearless trust

That brooked no shriv'ling doubt ; Who did the things that ever must

Be done — as bravely did without !

It was the sons of hardy sires —

And not one whit less hardy these — Who kindled first their wayside fires

On the wide prairies without trees, Where the dread desolation swept

Across their spirits, day and night : Strong men struggled and women wept

For loneliness beyond requite !

Such were the men and such their wives Who laid the corner-stones of State :

Who gave, in sacrifice, their lives

That we might here become the great

THE I'M INEERS

Rich Commonwealth, which now we hold

\~ our fair heritage to-day — Far-spread splendors of grain and gold.

With wealth which cannot pass away '

But they have passed — are pas.Mng now —

The remnants of the pioneers; With the deep furrows on their brow,

Yet with cheeks unblanched by fear- : While heads are bent and steps are slow.

Their spirits are unconquered yet ' They go the way all heroes go —

But we will not forget !

* II \RLES Bl We'll AKI).

Des Moines. Iowa., July i ;. mil.

PREFACE

Louisa, though the smallest county in the state, and containing one hundred and fifteen thousand acres less than the average, has a history, which, in some respects, is fully as important, and. in most respects, is as well worth preserving as that of any of Iowa's ninety-nine counties. It is a matter of keen regret .that the importance of preserving our local history, has not only never been properly recognized, but has often been entirely lost sight of. For many years after the settlement, and even long after the organization of the county, we had no news- paper here, and because of neglect on the one hand, and destructive fires on the other, we now have only fragmentary files of such newspapers as were published. The early settlers were too busy making history to give much time, or take much thought, toward recording or preserving it, and so it happens that, while the affairs of the county from the very beginning were transacted in a fairly busi- nesslike manner, and while we have much important and interesting matter con- cerning the official doings of those early days, it is still a lamentable fact that many papers and documents which must have at one time been among the county archives are missing, nor are they to be found in print. Beginning with the entry of the late John Hale, and soon after of W. S. Kremer. into the service of the county, much greater care was taken toward recording official transac- tions, and preserving official papers. The writer has heard Mr. Hale describe the almost indescribable confusion in which he found the papers in the clerk's office when he entered it — all kinds of documents in the same pigeon hole without any order or system, papers of all kinds and dates piled upon the tables and scat- tered upon chairs or on the floor, or thrown in the corners of the room — and most of the old files which we still have show us, by the labels in his own hand- writing, that it was John Hale who sorted and saved them, and they still remind us how greatly we are indebted to his thoughtfulness and care. It is hoped that those who peruse this history will, if they should find it "full of omissions." charge at least a part of them to circumstances which cannot now be remedied.

Other omissions there will be. due to. various causes. Some of these omis- sions will be due to the failure of those who have important documents in their possession to make the fact known, and other omissions may be charged to the fact that this work is done amid the interruptions of business, and because of the anxietv of the publishers to complete, and of many of the subscribers to receive the promised history. One could easily spend years in making a detailed investi- gation of any one of the several subjects presented by the history of a county created three quarters of a century ago, and within whose borders is the historic spot where, more than a century and a half before the county existed was held the first council between the white man and the red man in the valley of the

Vlll

PREFACE

mighty Mississippi. Nevertheless, it is hoped that this work will pass for an attempt at a County History, and even this could not be claimed for any previous publication concerning Louisa county. The work done by O. I. Jamison, pub- lished in the Columbus Junction Gazette in 1906 and 1907 is of very great value, and would have been far more so if his health and life had been spared to complete it as he had planned. Most of the writings which have heretofore passed for county histories are so inaccurate that they often hinder more than they help, although considerable valuable material has been taken, after making some cor- rections, from the County Album published in 1889 by the Acme Publishing Company. A sample of quite a number of mistakes in that work is its statement that John Bevins was the first postmaster of Wapell". when in fact he was never postmaster here at all.

As stated in the prospectus, the chief energies of the writer of this work have been devoted -to a study of the early days, of the things which happened, and the men who lived, forty or fifty years ago, or more. These events and the men who were concerned in them are not only of much greater interest and importance, historicallv, than those of a later date, but their history is much more difficult to secure; besides, the later events, even if important, can hardly be said to have passed into history, and the accounts of them are comparatively accessible.

This work contains a number of important tables or groups of facts, some of which will be found in the body of the work and Mime in the Appendix. Atten- tion is called to the list of Charters. Caws, Treaties, etc.. which bear upon our County history. If, as was said In one of Iowa's noted constitution makers "Law is history," then the table of laws and charters ought alone to justify this publication. The material for it has been taken from official publications, and from Dr. Thorp's "American Charters, Constitutions and Organic Laws" and Dr. Shambaugh's "Documentary Material Relating to Iowa History." both of which are official to students of history.

Another list which will he found in Chapter X contains the names of the county officials from the organization of the county to the present time; also senators and representatives and other kindred information. This was a very difficult list to prepare and it is possible that some errors may be found in it. although great pains have been taken in its preparation.

In the chapter on the Military history of the county will be found an alpha- betical list of all the soldiers who enlisted from Louisa county 'luring the war of the Rebellion, so far as could lie learned.

For the most part, an effort has been made to merely state the facts of our county history in a plain and unvarnished way. In the preparation of this work, two serious difficulties have been encountered, one was to know what should be included and what should be left out. Another was to know how to arrange and in what chapters to put the things that were included. Tt goes without saying, that many people would have excluded things which have been made use of, and, would have included many of those that have been left out. This is a matter of judgment upon which the author is by no means infallible.

The liberality of the publishers has been such that nearly every known source of information concerning our early history has been sought out.

The author is under obligations to lion. L. R. Harlan. Curator of the State Historical Department, and to Hon. Johnson Prig-ham, State Librarian; to John

PREFACE ix

M. Helmick, Esq. of Davenport; to Rev. T. O. Douglas of Grinnell ; and to present and former residents of Louisa county too numerous to mention, though it is proper to say that special thanks are due to Mrs. J. L. Kent, Mrs. Martha McDill. J. R. Smith. Ed. Hicklin. Col. J. W. Garner. Oscar Hale, W. S. Kremer and X. W. McKay. Special thanks are also due to Hon. C. A. Kennedy for his persistent and successful efforts in getting information from the government records at Washington. But, to those who are familiar with recent develop- ments in Iowa Historical research, it will be readily believed that the greatest assistance has come from the publications of the Iowa State Historical Society at Iowa City, and from the writings of Dr. B. F. Shambaugh, facile princeps among Towa historians. The library of the Iowa State Historical Society is a wonderful mine of information, and Dr. Shambaugh and his assistants have explored it so thoroughly, and are so uniformly accommodating, that he who seeks information there needs but "ask and he shall receive."

Because of relationship to some, and an intimate acquaintance with many of those who reared our county structure, this work has been largely a labor of love, my chief regret being that I have not had more time and leisure to devote to it. Arthur Springer.

Wapello, Iowa, January — , 1912.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I. THE GEOLOGICAL STORY.

IOWA ONCE A TROPICAL COUNTRY GLACIAL PERIOD PHYSICAL FEATURES — ROCKS

COAL NATURAL GAS, ETC I

CHAPTER II.

THE MOUND BUILDERS 9

CHAPTER III. VOYAGE OF MARQUETTE AND JOLIET DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI.

THEY LAND IN LOUISA COUNTY HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BEGINS HERE

FIRST BANQUET ON IOWA SOIL 14

CHAPTER IV. SOME INDIAN HISTORY.

THE ILLINOIS THE IOWAS THE SACS AND FOXES — THE BLACK HAWK WAR —

TREATY FOR BLACK HAWK PURCHASE BLACK HAWK KEOKUK WAPELLA . .21

CHAPTER V. THE IOWA DISTRICT.

OUR VARIOUS RULERS DIFFERENT TERRITORIES ZEBULON M. PIKE REV. CUTTING

MARSH ALBERT M. LEA REV. JAMES L. SCOTT REV. ASA TURNER — COLONEL

CROGAN ESTABLISHMENT OF DEMOINE COUNTY 35

CHAPTER VI.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS IN THE COUNTY THE CENSUS OF DES MOINES COUNTY, WIS- CONSIN IN 1836 ESTABLISHMENT OF WISCONSIN TERRITORY CLAIM LAWS

ESTABLISHMENT OF IOWA TERRITORY 45

CHAPTER VII.

THE KEOKUK RESERVE — TREATY CEDING IT TO THE UNITED STATES DES MOINES

COUNTY DIVIDED LOUISA COUNTY ESTABLISHED ORIGIN OF NAME FIRST TERM

OF COURT — FIRST SHERIFF — FIRST BOARD OF SUPERVISORS— CHANGE IN COUNTY BOUNDARIES 65

xi

xii CONTENTS

CHAPTER VIII. EARLY DISTRICTS. PRECINCTS AND TOWNSHIPS.

CHANGES IX TOWNSHIP BOUNDARIES — ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW TOWNSHIPS

EARLY SETTLERS IN THE SEVERAL TOWNSHIPS — EARLY LAND ENTRIES 83

CHAPTER IN. POLITICS AND ELECTIONS.

EARLY ELECTIONS — VOTE ON NEW CONSTITUTION — THE SOLDIERS' TICKET — PRIMARY

ELECTION ADOPTED FIRST Willi; CONVENTION IX IOWA — REPUBLICAN PARTY

ORGANIZED 108

CHAPTER N. LIST OF OFFICERS.

COUNTY OFFICERS — TERRITORIAL LEGISLATORS — STATE LEGISLATORS — MEMBERS OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS — OTHER OFFICERS GUBERNATORIAL APPOINT- MENTS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS AND CONGRESSMEN 1 23

CHAPTER XL

COUNTY FINANCES AND TAXES.

I\i REASE IN TAXES — LOCAL GOVERNMENT — STATISTICS FROM TREASURER'S REPORTS AND TAX LISTS — SWAMP I. \X1>S AND DRAINAGE I40

CHAPTER NIL LOUISA COUNTY SOLDIERS.

TERRITORIAL MILITIA — ALPHABETICAL LIST OF LOUISA COUNTY SOLDIERS IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION SOLDIERS IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR \"]2

CHAPTER XIII. TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES.

THE RIVERS THE RAILROADS THE AIR LINE RAILROAD THE IOWA AND CEDAR

RIVERS 209

CHAPTER XIV.

OUR COURTS AND LAWYERS.

FIRST COURT — JUDICIAL DISTRICTS — JUDGES — SoMI'. EARLY LAWSUITS, ETC. — LOUISA COUNTY LAWYERS 239

CHAPTER XV.

LOUISA COUNTY DOCTORS 257

CHAPTER XVI.

PERSONAL MENTION 267

CHAPTER XVII.

VILLAGES AND TOWNS 289

History of

Louisa County

CHAPTER I. THE GEOLOGICAL STORY.

IOWA ONCE A TROPICAL COUNTRY — GLACIAL PERIOD PHYSICAL FEATURES — ROCKS

COAL— NATURAL GAS, ETC.

First in order of time, though perhaps not first in interest, are the records to be found in the rocks. The geological history of Louisa county contains some facts of considerable interest. The latest division of geological time is called the Pleistocene ; it includes the present and "reaches back to that special series of events which have brought about the present relations of land and sea, the con- ditions of climate, peculiarities of soil," etc. Before the beginning of this period Iowa had for ages lain beneath the sea level, and we can read in the rocks which grew then the record of many of the living forms which once inhabited these waters. The rocks in the southern part of the county and in Des Moines county abound in fossil remains of crinoids, sometimes called "feather stars," and other related forms of sea life ; while Buffington creek, in Elm Grove township, is noted as the locality from which came a remarkable collection of fish fossils, many of which are described in Vols. 6 and 7, of the Illinois Geological Survey. These fossil remains show that huge fish once inhabited this region. Eventually the land uprose from the sea and became a part of the dry land. This period is called by some the Ozarkian stage. Afterward, for a time. Iowa became, in the language of the late Professor Calvin, "a fair and sunny land, clad in forests of tropical species and revelling in all tropical luxuriance. Birds of gay plumage flitted back and forth in the open glades ; savage beasts related to the lion and the tiger sought the shady recesses ; herbivorous animals not very different from the elk, the camel, the rhinocerous and the horse found pasture in the grassy savan- nas, while troups of monkeys swung from branch to branch, and from treetop to treetop, and stirred the woodland with noisy exclamations."

Then came the great change which, with its centuries of unparalleled precipi- tation of snow, brought on the age of the glaciers, during which there descended from the north and northwest great ice fields, covering nearly the entire state

1

2 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

with an ice sheet, hundreds and perhaps thousands of feet in thickness. Prior to the coming of the glaciers and after the land had become elevated, the surface seems to have been carved into river valleys and streams, while channels were cut through rocks and shales to the depth of 200 to 600 feet.

In boring a deep well near Lone Tree there was discovered an old valley, or channel, doubtless of the Iowa river, some 200 feet below the level of the present river. In the same way it has been found at Fort Madison that there is a channel of the Mississippi deeper than the present stream and walled in by rocks 250 feet high. This old channel was west of the present one, and future borings may show that it found its way through the central or western part of this county. Indeed, an observer of the United States geological survey claims to have located a river bed beginning just north of Columbus Junction and extending south and southeast through this county into Henry county: he traces it in part by a depres- sion in Elm Grove township which is some two miles wide, while in places it is forty feet below the elevation of the adjacent land. How long in the past it has been since the beginning of man's occupation no one can tell, much less the ages of preparation for man's existence. Hills and valleys, woods and prairies, are recent additions to the surface of the earth in comparison to the previous periods in geologic time. Where prairies now are found forests may have flourished once upon a time, and the leveling process of years may have worn the hills into plains.

That the people sought the favored spots as they had been taught to regard them, one needs only to suggest a search for the oldest homes and settlements in any county in this part of Iowa. Moving along the valleys the first settler selected his home site on account of two things, namely, wood and water, which for him would be available at all times. Therefore the oldest portions are not necessarily the most prosperous since they may have been planted upon the poorer sections of land, the settler not appreciating, until in after years, the waiting wealth in the prairie soil.

No one stops now, in his observation of the distribution of population, to inquire whether the first comers looked with wonder upon the scene and waited for men of science to determine the soil structure, or to set at ease the minds of the curious when they came upon peculiar or uncommon formations.

Could the world lie seen in one's imagination before the streams, or trees, the hills or valleys were formed, when the rocks deep down in the earth began in take shape, and then believe that ages upon ages of time have passed while other layers of rock have been deposited, it might assist him in studying some common things found along the rocky ledges in many parts of the county.

The fossils found in our rock tell of a period long past when the living ani- mals were so numerous that their bony skeletons have formed whole systems of rocks. Then it must be remembered also, that the geologist does not count time by years, but by ages. He. like the astronomer, must deal with longer units of time in his measurements.

Therefore we need only think of the world as very, very old and to remem- ber that, with the scientist, as with the Psalmist, a thousand years are but as yesterday. Geologists tell us that twice this vicinity was covered with great sheets of ice and that marks were left upon the surface then exposed that are found and recognized today. These glaciers helped to produce very peculiar changes

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 8

upon the surface of the earth but a detailed discussion of them would be foreign to the purpose of this work.

Each county has its own peculiar form and features and Louisa is no excep- tion. Indeed it may be said to possess more than ordinary interest since it borders upon the great Mississippi River, and the confluence of two of Iowa's most important rivers lies within its borders.

Probably the first scientist to cross any part of this county for the purpose of learning and describing something of its structure was a member of the party of which D. D. Owen was the head. In his report for 1852 on the Geology of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota,. Mr. Owen says that one B. C. Macy, follow- ing up the Iowa and Cedar Rivers, found himself in a land of swamps, through which he traveled for some distance, incidentally contracting a dangerous inter- mittent fever. But conditions in this respect have improved greatly since that time ; they began improving before the war, and most of the swamps and marshes had disappeared before the advent of the present "era of drainage," to which we will refer hereafter.

In general it may be said that Louisa County is geologicallv in four sections, rather distinctly marked having two uplands and two lower areas. The latter lie along the Mississippi and Iowa chiefly, while the former are found between the two low areas and in the west and south. The townships of Eliot, Wapello. Oakland, and Port Louisa contain the great portions of the lowlands. Scien- tists would divide the lowlands into two parts, one called "Alluvium," which lies near the streams and is formed by the deposit of material from flowing water, and the other "terrace or low plain" which is slight!}' higher and further from the streams than the first named.

The Mississippi bottoms are fully five miles wide on both the northern and the southern boundaries of the county and probably are over two miles else- where. Two prominent features of this portion of the land are known as the Muscatine slough, extending along the western edge of the bottoms almost to the Iowa River, and the Great Sand mound in the northern corner of Port Louisa township, extending over the county line. Perhaps Lake Klum is also of importance enough to be included with these two mentioned, since it is approximately a mile and one half in length connecting with the Muscatine slough in section twenty-five, township seventy-four north of range three west.

Along the Iowa and Cedar Rivers the lowlands are from two to six miles in width and they extend diagonally through the county from northwest to southeast, the widest portion being in Oakland and Wapello townships, the lat- ter having long been known as Wapello prairie. Near the junction of the Cedar and the Iowa Rivers the bluffs of the uplands on either side approach each other, the western side being much nearer the river and for six miles they run nearly parallel, three miles apart until near Bard station. Where Long Creek enters the Iowa River they separate. The narrowest portion of this lowland is less than two miles in Jefferson and Eliot townships. In the former a low area includes a number of lagoons or sloughs indicating a former river channel. Here one finds Stone Lake, Myerholz Lake, Keever Slough, Spitznogle and Parson's Lakes, with minor bayous, not possessing recognized names.

The higher land previously mentioned between the two rivers is estimated to be not less than one hundred feet above the surrounding territorv and about

1 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

nine miles in width on the Muscatine County line. From here it tapers to a width of two miles easl of Wapello, and then continues for perhaps eight miles farther south stopping abruptly at the Iowa River. It is noticeable that this highland is marked off by a steep bluff line on the eastern side which causes the streams in this area to flow westward toward the Iowa River, although these sources are much nearer the Mississippi.

It is said that the highest point in the county, nearly nine hundred feet, is in the southeastern part of Morning Sun township. From this western eleva- tion there is a moderate slope toward the northeast the streams flowing in that direction until they reach the lowlands.

A feature which suggests the condition of the underlying strata is found in section eighteen of township seventy-three north, range three west, this being near the Concord schoolhouse and in the civil township of Morning Sun. Here a sink hole, as it is called, which is common in some sections of the state, is found, in dimensions five to eight rods across and twenty feet deep, indicating a subterranean cavern in the lower limestone.

\s mentioned in the beginning, characteristic geologic changes are found in all sections of this county bv means of which scientists determine what names to apply to the exposed strata. These names are not familiar to those un- acquainted with such terms, but in the observation of common bluffs or of the material drawn from deep wells any one may readily understand the great differences that are found in even nearby areas of land.

It is said that artesian wells might be obtained very readily in this county should they be desirable, and the lowlands are adapted to such undertakings where it is supposed a "copious flow may be found anywhere" at a depth of from twelve to fourteen hundred feet. On the uplands water is secured in ordinary wells at various depths ranging from thirty to three hundred feet. Shal- low wells are subject to a loss of the supply since they do not penetrate the per- manent source called "drift gravel" which the deeper wells reach. It appears further, that there are many sources of water in the form of springs along the ravines west of the Iowa River, which issue from between beds of shale known as the "Upper Burlington and Kinderhook shales."

Among the lowlands, especially where the soil is sandy, the driven well is verv common, and abundant quantities of the best water are found at a depth of about twenty feet. The water supply about Wapello and in Oakland and Concord townships is obtained bv driven wells and is practically inexhaustible. At the time the Baxter Brothers Company located their large canning factory at Wapello, they had some doubts as to whether the water supply obtained by driven wells would be sufficient for their purposes, but after testing the matter thoroughly with a steam pumping outfit, they became thoroughly convinced that it would.

Other economic products include the common building materials of stone and sand, as well as clay products, with traces of coal and natural gas. Build- ing stone is abundant in certain sections, exposures of this nature being found in the south and southwestern parts of the county. The kind of strata to which building stone belongs are found along the bluffs west of the Mississippi River and south of the Iowa in Eliot, Wapello, and Morning Sun townships. There are. however, other "outcroppings" along the streams in Columbus City and

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 5

Elm Grove townships. The best stone is taken from what is called the Upper Burlington bed and all of the present working quarries use this stratum. For- merly the lower beds were worked on the farm of J. D. Anderson south of Elrick Junction, but it appears that the weathering of this rock has lessened materially its value for building purposes. The principal quarries of the pres- ent are located near Morning Sun on Honey Creek, and on Long Creek and it- tributaries in Columbus City and Elm Grove townships.

The quarry of Charles B. Wilson in section twenty-eight, a mile and a half east of Morning Sun, furnishes rock from the Burlington bed as named above. This quarry extends for approximately a quarter of a mile on either side of Honey Creek, and from the excavations now made, one may judge that a large amount of stone has been removed. There is a small amount of waste material in comparison to the amount removed and many acres of land are yet available for working ; while the labor of opening the quarry is not heavy. Just across the railway tracks in section twenty-nine is the quarry of W. C. Bryant, where more than seven feet of pure limestone is available "for heavy foundations, bridge piers and other masonry work, besides walls and finishings." The analy- sis of rock found in these quarries commends it for the manufacture of Port- land cement, and also for an excellent quality of white lime. These two quar- ries appear to be limitless in the material available, and are moreover conveniently situated for shipping.

In section twenty-seven of Morning Sun township the "Ackenbaum" quarry is located. This lies on Gospel Run and when the face of the rock is exposed there is a light covering of soil similar to what is called "loess." Quarries of less importance are found in other parts of Louisa County, especially along Buffington and Long Creeks. There is the old Wasson quarry, later controlled by C. J. Gipple, located in a low terrace along the south branch of Long Creek in section twenty-three. The same rock is found in other parts of the same vicinity on Long creek and in section fourteen of Elm Grove on Buffington Creek. In section three of Columbus City township J. E. Gray and J. M. Marshall have opened the white rock found there. As one moves farther west- ward in the county the rock are less frequently exposed, because of the heavy "drift" in that portion.

The names of those conducting commercial quarries with the kind of stone and means of handling it as it has been reported are mentioned here ; all the work is described as "hand work." The product is building, macadam, rip rap, and rubble stone, of a gray subcrystalline limestone nature. The owners are, as found in reports. Mrs. Churchman at Cairo ; J. M. Marshall, J. E. Gray and J. H. Jones, Columbus Junction ; W. C. Bryant. W. A. Steele, and Chas. B. Wil- son of Morning Sun ; and John Ackenbaum at Newport. Stone from the Wilson quarry has undergone engineering tests in the department at Ames. The Churchman land now belongs to Frank P. Brown and the Ackenbaum property is owned by D. L. Morris.

The Clay products from Louisa County for the year 1908 amounted to about eight thousand dollars. Institutions for such manufacture have been in operation at Columbus Junction, Morning Sun, and across the river east of Wapello.

Brick and tile in sufficient quantity to supply local demand have been made at these three points, but there is no work being done at the Wapello institution

6 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

just now. Some brick products have been used in sidewalks, notably that of the Morning Sun factory. The clay used in the plant at Columbus Junction is taken from a low terrace-like extension of the upland lying between the Iowa River and Short Creek, the loess formation here consisting in part of a calcareous element. Brick made from this formation have an especially fine texture according to the judgment of men versed in such matters.

Coal measures, according to signs remaining, were once deposited over a large part of the county, either in independent sections or more or less contin- uous sheets. These, however, have been almost entirely removed by the con- tinual and heavy denudation through the years of erosion subsequent to that deposit. Nearly all that remains to indicate the former deposit is found within four hundred acres. The region so described is located chiefly "in the west bluff of the Iowa River in the adjoining corners of sections sixteen, seventeen, and twenty-one in Union township." Here, it is said, a few inches of coal appear in the rock formations of grayish white sandstone, and dark shale. In digging wells also signs of coal have been found. The only recorded output of coal is given as "forty bushels in 1862." Small quantities have been found and used for fuel, yet no indications have suggested a profitable development. Money has been spent, and wasted in prospecting, where no coal could lie found.

We find in the Wapello Republican of January 30, 1 866, the following item in regard to coal: "We are informed that a vein of coal some four feet in thickness has been found on the farm of Judge Springer, south of Columbus City, in this county."

And in an issue cf the same paper published in September of that year, it is said that J. F. Schill reported that he had discovered a vein of cannel coal, twenty inches thick, on Long creek, six miles northwest of Wapello. These reports were not borne out by the facts.

Down near Morning Sun, in the fall and winter of i8(>8-0, a Mr. Price Hughes did a great deal of digging for coal. According to the newspaper reports he went down something over 220 feet and spent all of his own spare change, and some six or seven hundred dollars that was contributed by people who relied upon his claims that he could get coal at less than 200 feet. When he had gone down about 130 feet, and was confident that coal was but a few feet away, his work was written up in glowing fashion by a correspondent of the Wapello Republican. In response to that communication we find the following in a sub- sequent issue of the same paper, dated at Iowa City, January 6, 1869: "In your paper of last week I observed that some correspondent gave you the progress of Mr. Hughes in his search for coal near Morning Sun. This reminds me that I had promised some of the Morning Sun citizen- to call on Dr. White. State Geologist, and get his opinion on coal matters in Louisa count)-. I have called on the Doctor, and I assure you he does not flatter coal mining in that region. He says that Louisa, Johnson and Des Moines counties have no coal, for this reason: that during the Glacial period they were passed over by an immense glacier moving in an almost direct north and south line, which entirely stripped these counties of all deposits of coal. He says that the rock on the surface in Louisa county is the bed rock for all the coal in the state, and if any coal is found in your county, it will be on top of the rock, in some basin or hollow where it was protected from the moving mountain of ice. T remarked to the

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 7

Doctor that Mr. Hughes warranted coal at less than two hundred feet. lie remarked : 'Tell your people at Morning Sun that 1 will zvarrant them none at any depth.' W. E. I!."

These initials look very much like those of the Hon. W. E. Blake, who was then going to law school at Iowa City. Mr. Hughes "came hack" at Dr. White and "W. E. B." in a communication from Morning Sun, dated February 26, i860, in which, among other things, he said: "A few weeks ago I noticed a let- ter in your paper from Iowa City giving the opinion of the State Geologist, and so far as I can learn I believe I know more about the indications of coal than Mr. White does about making tin cups. I have found the indications of coal here the same as I have found elsewhere where I have found coal, and I intend to test the matter . . . Let me say, Mr. Editor, that I believe there is coal in this county, and I do not think the ice of Tinman White swept it quite all away."

The allusion to Dr. White as "Tinman White" was doubtless due to the fact that the Doctor, many years before that, had been a partner with his brother in a hardware store in Burlington. However, some weeks after the above com- munication, Mr. Hughes had thoroughly convinced himself that in fighting against "mother nature" and "father science," he was engaged in an unequal combat, and he wrote an article acknowledging his mistake, and making some amends for his former flippant and sarcastic reference to our worthy and emi- nent State Geologist. Since then there has been very little coal prospecting in Louisa County.

There is a tradition that at one time the Indians secured lead from some- where on Long creek and we find in the Wapello Republican of June 7. i860, an item of interest on this line under the heading of Lead Ore. "We under- stand from Mr. Jesse Vanhorn, of Marshall township, that a fine specimen of this ore was found near the mill he formerly owned in the Long creek timber a few days ago. It is known that the Indians used to get plenty of lead in this neighborhood years ago but we believe the exact locality was not known to the white men." It is not known, yet.

More than twenty years ago natural gas was first discovered in this county. It was early in December in 1890, according to Mr. F. M. Witter, who made some study of the matter, that Mr. F. L. Estle, who lived in section three, town- ship seventy-five north, range four west, sunk a well on his farm. At a depth of one hundred feet he struck a flow of gas which readily burned, but in two or three days it ceased to flow. About the same time, Mr. R. M. Lee at a [joint just west of the first well, a half mile or more, bored for water. At one hun- dred feet he failed to find a flow of water and stopped boring. In the evening he began to remove his casing and succeeded in raising it several feet. During the night he beard a great roaring, and on approaching the abandoned well with a lantern the gas suddenly took fire and shot high into the air, making a fright- ful noise. In course of time the flame was extinguished and the gas was piped into the house where it was used for fuel and light. Later it was used in the same way in neighboring houses, one being more than a mile away. The gas was carried over the ground in common pipe of different dimensions. The well .at one time supplied twelve fires and sixteen lights. Afore than a score of wells

8 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

have been found to furnish gas, some furnishing a supply for many years. The pressure has been measured in at least fifteen of these and found to be from four to ten and one half pounds, the higher pressure being in the deeper wells. A short distance below the gas area a good flow of water is obtained. Many interesting facts are related concerning these wells, and the results of such discoveries.

CHAPTER II. THE MOUND BUILDERS.

The first people to inhabit Louisa county were the Mound Builders. This ancient race disappeared before historic times and is known only by such of its works as have survived the destructive elements of time. Whence it came, and when, how long it remained in the land and whither it departed, may never be known.

Earthen walls, mounds, figures, ditches and pits, implements of war and of art, of the chase, of husbandry and the home, made of stone, metal, bone and shell, point to a people far in advance of savagry, a people of fixed habitation and living under something akin to government.

Louisa county had its full share of this ancient race. The high bluffs of the Mississippi and the Iowa rivers were their favorite dwelling places. The rich valleys below may have been their fields and the adjacent streams and forests their hunting grounds.

Toolesboro must have been a place of some importance among them, for here are found some of their most extensive works. It required the labor of man for many days to construct the great mounds and walls still in evidence on the river bluffs about this village. There was also an ancient work, now oblit- erated, called a fort, adjacent to these mounds. A description and sketch of this interesting work will be found in connection with some observations taken from Mr. Newhall's "Sketches of Iowa." As there are no pits in evidence to indicate the place whence the earth was taken, we can only infer that it was loosened with a flint hoe, or other crude tool, and borne in baskets to the place of deposit, as fragments of such baskets made of bark, have been found in mounds at other places.

Modern civilization tends to level and obliterate these evidences of an inter- esting past. The spade of the curiosity seeker, and the plow of the farmer grad- ually remove these traces of our ancient inhabitants. It is greatly to the credit of the people of Toolesboro to preserve one and the chief of these great ruins. The fine mound on the border of this village is the largest known to exist in Iowa, and its sacred contents have never been disturbed. Many of its sister mounds have been opened and destroyed, and the earth walls near by have been almost leveled by the plow.

But scientific exploration is not to be condemned. Without such aid history would have no record of primeval people. The Davenport Academy of Science has for many years conducted many well advised explorations of the ancient mounds and works found in the valley of the Mississippi river. Its collection of Mound Builder antiquities is the finest in the United States. In conducting

9

10 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

its field work it has been careful to preserve all relies discovered, giving to each localitv due credit for all contributions and being especially careful to restore the disturbed works t<> their former condition. Its museum is open to the public. It is known throughout both our country and Europe, and many antiquarians visit it for study in this interesting field.

Many years ago the academy opened some of the Toolesboro mounds, and secured, in addition to the usual stone axes. Hint spears and arrow heads, etc.. a number of axes and implements made of native copper. Nearly a dozen cop- per axes were secured. In size they range from five to eight inches long, having a cutting edge of two to three and a half inches and are from a half to one and a quarter inches thick. They are made of native copper and were beaten and ground into shape. The outside of each was heavily coated with the green oxide of copper, on removal of which the pure metalic copper appeared. This collec- tion of copper axes is unique and valuable because some of the axes were wrapped in a coarse cloth with an outer wrapping of bark. This cloth is fossilized by the copper salts but it shows the fibre and the weaving with remarkable dis- tinctness. The texture of the cloth was about as coarse as very heavy buck or linen toweling. The threads of both warp and woof were the same size and tightly twisted.

Extensive Mound Builders works are also found in the eastern part of Grand View township, on the bluff overlooking the Mississippi. The most noticeable of these works is an area of about two acres enclosed by two parallel w:alls of earth, five to six feet high, and a ditch nearly as deep, and a circular excavation at the west side about a hundred feet in diameter and twenty feet deep. At the foot of the bluff below this pit are two natural flowing springs, one of sulphur water and the other pure.

The Davenport Academy of Science is famous among antiquarians, for two specimens of ancient art found in this vicinity. These are the "Elephant Pipes." One of these was taken from a mound on the farm of F. Haas, by Mr. Haas and Rev. A. Blumer, a zealous member of the academy, and the other was picked up by a farmer, whose name is unknown, and given to Mr. Blumer. These are now preserved in the museum of the academy. These pipes are made of a dark brown stone, quite hard and well polished. The bowl of the pipe is carved out of the back of the elephant, and the base of each is convex upward. They are each about four inches long, two and a half inches high and one and one-eighth inches thick. The body is comparatively large. The feet, tail and proboscis are well formed, but there is an absence of tusks. Other pipes similar in material and form were found here, representing mostly some beast, bird or man.

Mounds are to be found in many of the prominent bluffs of the county. Implements of war and the chase are quite uniformly scattered over the county. Many stone axes are found and flint arrow heads, spear heads, knives, scrapers and hoes have been very common. The number and size of these earthworks, and the abundance of these works of art representing both war and peace, attest the uniformity with which these people inhabited the county as well as their number and the length of time they lived in possession.

Taking the whole country, the most extensive earthworks are found in the level river valleys and not on the bluffs. The most extensive series of embank-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 11

merits, figures and mounds, are to be found in the state of Ohio. Wisconsin contains an embankment representing- an elephant. The largest mound in the United States is the Cahokia mound in Illinois, a few miles above St. Louis. This is a stupendous pile of earth, — a parellelogram. 700 feet by 500 feet and 90 feet high, and covers six acres; and a causeway 150 feet wide and 300 feet long leads to the top. A similar but smaller pyramid is near Saltzertown, Mis- sissippi.— 600 feet by 400 feet, and 40 feet high, covering about five" acres. The "great serpent" in Adams county, Ohio, is 700 feet long, and the "alligator" in Licking county. Ohio, is 250 feet long. Near Wheeling, West Virginia, is a huge mound 900 feet in circumference and 70 feet high.

We cannot certainly .know the purpose for which these works were erected. Ditches and embankments were probably for defense. Animal figures for Deities and mounds were sepulchral or sacrificial.

The Mound Builders can only be mentioned in the most general terms. It was an ancient race. It had disappeared before the Columbian discovery; the modern Indian had no tradition of it, and great trees showing an annular growth of many centuries have grown and fallen on its works. It was numerically strong; for the huge masses of earth piled up in its great pyramids, and count- less mounds and embankments point to united effort of a numerous people covering a large period of time. This people had permanent dwellings, for a nomad people would have neither motive nor ability for such construction. They cultivated the soil. The sites of their settlements were adjacent to rich valleys, instruments adapted to husbandry are found in the locality, and people in such numbers could not otherwise exist. Thev attained to a fair degree of civilization, for they used implements of stone, metal, shell and bone and wove cloth. They had commercial relations with most regions, for their copper came from the Lake Superior region, where their ancient mines are still to be seen : their mica from New Hampshire or the Carolinas, and their obsidian from Nevada or Mexico, and sea shells must have come from the gulf or the Atlantic.

They were largely given to pursuits of peace, for otherwise they would not riave been driven from their homes bv the savage tribes, who later possessed the land. They were under no general government, for if they had been they could have successfully opposed the invading foe. They were under some form of local government, for their mighty works could onlv be accomplished by a power compelling united effort.

Such numbers .would hardly desert the vast territory by common consent, and it is hardly possible that a pestilence carried them away. We may infer that most of them were destroyed by an invading tribe or tribes. Their savage foes would naturally covet their granaries and stores and would find this docile race easv victims of their savage greed, and might have no use for slaves except for torture. They may gradually have been driven south for there was an old tradition among the Toltec Mexicans that their ancestors came from the north- land.

One of the most entertaining and instructive works on early Iowa history is Newhall's "Sketches of Iowa." published in 1840. Mr. Newhall was at that time a resident of Burlington and was a writer and speaker of some prominence ; was at one time interested in the town site of Florence in this county, and was a frequent visitor to the county; and we shall have frequent occasion to use

12 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

extracts from his work. He was much interested in the Mound Builders and his work contains the only description we have been able to find of the old fort, near Toolesboro. It is found in an article on "Antiquities and Mounds." After indulging in some speculation concerning who the Mound Builders were and from whence they came, he speaks of having examined this old fortification at I Hack Hawk on the north side of the Iowa river, and then says: "The site of the town itself is marked and striking. A portion of the village is located under a high precipitous bluff. Upon ascending this, the country sweeps off in a very gradual descent of beautiful prairie. Upon the margin of this bluff (which is of great height, and nearly perpendicular towards the river) there are eight conical mounds, averaging from twenty to thirty feet in height, and about eighty feet in circumference at the base, with a small area or terrace upon their sum- mits. From the top of these mounds the view is almost boundless, embracing every point of the compass. Indeed from the Falls of St. Anthony to the mouth of the Ohio, I know of but few panoramic views so extensive and so varied. Overlooking the broad Mississippi, and the wide and extended prairies of Illinois in the east, the 'Flint Hills' in the south, and the high bluffs of Bloomington in the north, I was particularly struck with the different points that could be brought to bear upon each other by a line of telegraphs or beacon lights upon a wide extent of country. A few feet in the rear appear indistinct vestiges of the old fort, now almost obliterated by the work of time. The embankment is of earth, and, in many portions, can be distinctly traced, enclosing an area of five or six acres, the angles and bastions exhibiting the form of an octagonal crescent. It evidently appears to have been constructed for the purpose of defense, the points of the angles and intervening flanks showing, conclusively, a knowledge of the engineering and military science. Opposite the mounds and upon the western side of the fort, the early settlers of the place informed me that, previous to the grounds having been plowed up, a distinct lane or covert way was visible, formed by two parallel embankments, and leading some eighty or ninety feet to a spring ; although at the present time, this embankment is scarcely perceptible, the work of the plow having obliterated nearly every trace of its outline. Within the fort T have discovered detached fragments of pottery, pieces of pitcher handles, urns, etc., unlike anything of the present day, also several flint spears, or javelins. Some of the pottery bore the visible marks of being glazed, and the distinct impression of diagonal marks forming diamonds and fluted rims, evincing much skill and workmanship. Many of the neighbors informed me that, on excavating some mounds, a few miles distant, several well formed furnaces had been discovered ; in fact, all the ware discovered in the fort, bore conclusively the process of heat, i. e., of having been baked. Many of the most aged Indians of the Sac and Fox tribes have been interrogated upon the subject and history of this fort, but they have no tradition more than a sort of innate reverence for the neighborhood of mounds, viewing them in the light of consecrated places."

On page 234 Mr. Newhall gives a diagram or sketch of this ancient work and in order that our readers may have a better idea of it than can be given otherwise, we have procured a cut of it. After this cut was made we caused it tn be published in the Wapello Tribune, accompanied by a request for any one who was familiar with the matter to locate the point where the spring used

OLD FORT AT TOOLESBORO

PlftUC LIB...

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 13

to be, as shown in the sketch; after seeing the sketch Mr. Anson Kimball designated the place where in his opinion the spring undoubtedly was, at one time, and this place is on the lands now owned by C. L. Mosier, and would seem to be at about the proper distance and in about the proper direction from the mounds which are still standing on the bluffs. Mr. Newhall also makes some interesting observations upon the similarity between the works at Tooles- boro and some that are found in Ohio. We quote again : "The reader must observe the striking similarity between these works and those described on the banks of the Muskingum. The situation of those works is on an elevated plain, above the present banks of the Muskingum on the east side, and about half a mile from its junction with the Ohio. They consist of walls and mounds of earth, in direct line, and in circular form. On each side are several openings resembling gateways. Allusion is also made to a covert way of two parallel walls of earth, leading toward the river.

"Atwater, in allusion to the same 'works," remarks : 'On the outside of the parapet I picked up a considerable number of fragments of ancient potter's ware. This ware is ornamented with lines, some of them quite curious and ingenious, on the outside, and has a partial glazing on the inside. The frag- ments, on breaking them, look quite dark, with brilliant particles appearing as you hold them to the light."

"The similitude is so striking that I could not give a better description to those I picked up at Black Hawk. Many gentlemen, familiar with the antiquities of Ohio, among whom was Governor Robert Lucas, instantly recognized the similarity."

CHAPTER 111. VOYAGE OF MARQUETTE AND JOLIET DOWN THE .MISSISSIPPI.

THEY LAND IN LOUISA COUNTY HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI VALLEY BEGINS HERE —

FIRST BANQUET ON IOWA SOIL.

The destiny of nations is often affected by incidents which at the time appear to be of little significance. That were a rash prophet who. in advance, would have predicted the changes that have been made in the world's map and in its history following the trip of the two frail canoes, which, in the summer of 1673, carried Louis Joliet. "an envoy of France to discover new countries," and Jacques Marquette, "an ambassador from God to enlighten them with the gospel,*' down the "Ouisconsin" in search of the great water whose mag- nificence had long been heralded by the natives of the north and west.

And yet, with the beginning of this little expedition really began the history of the Mississippi valley, now one of the most magnificent empires in the world. Professor Weld in his admirable address "On the Way to Iowa," referring to the Mississippi valley, says : "Toward this region the tide of world empire has been setting for three-quarters of a century and is not yet even at its height. The financier may' turn his eyes toward Wall street or Threadneedle street. The student may plan his pilgrimage to Cambridge or Leipsig. The artist may long for the inspiration afforded by the Louvre, or the galleries of Florence, but the teeming millions of the over crowded places of the world with hands restless to do and hearts ready to dare, turn eager faces toward this 'great central basin of North America.' "

Of course there is a sense in which it may be said that the voyages and explorations of Cartier and Champlain, of Jean Nicollet and Father Brebeuf, of Radisson and Grosseilliers, all have a necessary historic connection with the Mississippi valley, but nevertheless, for all practical purposes the history of this great valley begins on the 10th of June, 1673. when the Jesuit missionary and his companions came to the portage between the Fox and the Wisconsin rivers. Here, in the words of Marquette, these pioneers of the west "left the waters flowing to Quebec to float upon those which would conduct us thence- forward to strange lands."

It is evident from Marquette's narrative that at this time, if not before, they recognized the gravity, if not the importance, of their undertaking, for he says : "The guides returned, leaving us alone in this unknown land in the hands of Providence." Shortly before this, Marquette had been warned that the distant nations, to whom he was endeavoring to go, were savage and warlike and "never spared the strangers," and that the Great River abounded in monsters

15

16 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

which would devour both men and their canoes. But the gentle Marquette had no fear. His only answer was: "I shall gladly lay down my life for the salvation of souls."

After seven days they reached the mouth of the Wisconsin and "entered happily the Great River with a joy that could not be expressed." They pro- ceeded down this new and unknown water without any important adventure until near June 25th. At that time Marquette says: "Proceeding south and southwest, we find ourselves at 41° north; then at 400 and some minutes, partly by southeast and partly by southwest, after having advanced more than sixty leagues since entering the river, without discovering anything. At last, on the 25th of June, 1673, we perceived the footprints of men by the water's edge, and a beaten path entering a beautiful prairie. We stopped to examine it, and concluding that it was a path leading to some Indian village, we resolved to go and reconnoitre; we accordingly left our two canoes in charge of our people, cautioning them strictly to beware of a surprise. Then M. Jollyet and I under- took this rather hazardous discovery, for two single men, who thus put them- selves at the discretion of an unknown and barbarous people."

The narrative of Marquette proceeds as follows: "We followed the little path in silence, and, having advanced about two leagues, we discovered a village on the banks of the river, and two others on a hill a half league from the former." Then, recommending themselves to God, they continued on without being dis- covered until they got so near that they could hear the Indians talking. Deem- ing it time to announce themselves they did so with a loud cry, and halted. At this cry the Indians rushed from their cabins and seeing the "Blackgown" (Indian name for a Jesuit), they deputed four of their old men to speak with the strangers. The narrative then proceeds: "Two carried tobacco pipes, well adorned and trimmed with many kinds of feathers. They marched slowly, lifting their pipes toward the sun, as if offering them to him to smoke, but yet without uttering a single word. They were a long time coming the little way from the village to us. Having reached us at last, they stopped to consider us attentively. I now took courage, seeing these ceremonies which were used by them only with friends. ... I therefore spoke to them first, and asked them who they were ; they answered that they were Illinois, and in token of peace they presented their pipes to smoke."

We may properly pause in the narrative here to locate the historic spot upon which these two white men first set their foot on Iowa soil, and where they first encountered the savages, and saw their villages. Until a comparatively recent date historians, with some misgivings, have fixed this spot as being near Mont- rose, in Lee county. But Professor Laenas Gifford Weld, in a verv scholarlv article, entitled "Joliet and Marquette in Iowa." published in the Iowa Journal of History and Politics, in January. 1903, has practically settled the question in favor of this county. Professor Weld's article is accompanied by a copv of a portion of Dr. Shea's fac simile of Marquette's original map, and his observa- tions and conclusions will be much better understood of course by consulting the map. Therefore we have had the map copied. Professor Weld, after giv- ing a brief outline of Marquette's story of his voyage, says: "Marquette's narrative, just cited, is so vague with reference to topographical details and so inconsistent with respect to geographical positions that little dependence can

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HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 17

be placed upon it, except when taken in connection with the accompanying map. This last will be made the subject of somewhat careful examination, its genuine- ness being assumed as thoroughly established. We have to note in the first in- stance that the latitudes as given upon Marquette's map are in error, all being about one degree too far south, except Akansea, the southermost part reached, which is correctly placed at 33° 40'. Herewith is presented a carefully prepared copy of a portion of Dr. Shea's fac simile of the original, much reduced. The parallels of latitude are as indicated by the marginal figures in the original, while the meridians of longitude are separated by intervals obtained by multi- plying the average latitude interval of one degree by the cosine of 40 degrees, the 'middle latitude' — in accordance with a well known mathematical principle. The meridian of 91 degrees has been placed near to the mouth of the Wisconsin, its true position. On the right hand margin of the map Marquette's latitudes are indicated. On the left these latitudes have been increased by one degree ; so that, if read from this margin, Marquette's map has been lifted bodily one degree in latitude. The dotted sketch on the left of the map represents the true course of the Mississippi and, presumably, those tributaries which are noted by Marquette. The longitudes along the lower margin, to the left, refer to this dotted sketch only. A comparison of Marquette's river with the true course of the Mississippi shows that his plot is a marvelously accurate one, as far down as the mouth of the Ohio. Inasmuch as means of determining longitude by portable instruments were not available in Marquette's day, we can only ex- plain the accuracy with which his longitudes are plotted by supposing that care- ful note was taken, at least until the latter part of the voyage down stream, of distances and courses sailed. Otherwise, it is impossible to explain the close conformity exhibited by the accompanying illustration.

"This discrepancy of one degree in Marquette's latitudes would seem to demand explanation. Let it be noted that the complete map includes a large portion of Lake Superior, St. Mary's river and the straits of Mackinac, regions well known to Marquette and the other Jesuit missionaries of the time. Accom- panying the Jesuit Relation of 1670-1, prepared by Dablon, is a map of this upper lake region entitled, Lac Superieur et autres lieu.r oil sout les Missions des Peres de la Compagnic dc Ji'sus comprises sous le noni d'Outaouacs. With- out doubt Marquette was familiar with this map, which was probably the work of some of his own associates. It is even conceivable that he sketched the upper portion of his own map directly from it. The fact that it includes, among others, the altogether irrelevant entry, Chemin an Assinipoualak a 120 lieus vers le Nordouest, which also appears upon the map of 1670-1, seems to confirm this theory. Now upon this map of 1670-1 the latitudes of Mission du St. Esprit. of Mission de Ste. Marie, of St. Ignacc and of the Pottawattamie village at the head of Green Bay, near to the Mission of St. Francois Xavier, are exactly as recorded upon Marquette's map. Whether the mistake is due to the defective astrolabe of some Jesuit geographer, or to some other cause, does not concern us. The error is evidently reproduced in the upper portions of Marquette's map and, supposing that his map was plotted by 'dead reckoning,' would naturally be propagated far down the Mississippi.

"Certain it is that the latitudes upon the map do not agree with those given in the narrative. Moreover, those paragraphs describing the voyage from the

Vol. 1—2

18 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

time at which the explorers entered the Mississippi up to the time of landing- near Peouarea are utterly irreconcilable, so far as the latitudes and directions are concerned, with the true course of the Mississippi. Neither is it possible to interpret them at all satisfactorily upon the assumption that some of the latitudes were correctly given by Joliet while others are of Marquette's own determination. "While the journal does not specifically state that the latitude vaguely given as '40 degrees and some minutes' is that of Peouarea, it is evident from the map that this is to be understood. The estimated distance traversed since entering the Mississippi — over sixty leagues — is as indefinite as the estimate itself is uncertain: If twenty leagues be counted to the degree, in nautical fashion, the distance is above 207 statute miles. This would indicate as the place of land- ing some point on the river near Port Louisa in Louisa county. The latitude of this point is about 41° 12', which is something over a degree greater than that of Peouarea as given by Marquette's map and nearly the same amount greater than that inferred from the narrative. The stream entering here from the west, as shown in the sketch of the true course of the Mississippi, is the Iowa river."

Further on in his article Professor Weld points out that this error of one degree of latitude appears in the location of the curve of the Mississippi between Keokuk and Ouincy, and in the location of the mouths of the Illinois, Missouri and Ohio rivers. He then gives a diagram comparing Marquette's latitude with the true latitude of all stations shown on his map, which have been identified. This is referred to in his article as Figure 2, and it is so necessarv to a proper understanding of the situation that we have also made a copy of it.

Professor Weld then proceeds, "Whatever may be the true explanation of the latitude errors of Marquette's chart, nothing can more clearlv prove that it is an actual plot, made during the course of the voyage, than the manner in which he abridges the last stretch of the river and ends its course abruptly at latitude 330 40'. There is no speculation as to its course either below that point, or above the point at which the stream was first entered. Whatever dis- crepancies may have found their way into his narrative as a result, it may lie. of 'comparing notes' with Joliet, Marquette's chart is genuine, consistent, and honest. In the accompanying diagram the comparison of the latitudes of all identifiable stations, as given on Marquette's map, with their true latitudes, as taken from a modern chart, is rendered simple and easy. It is evident at a glance that the river at whose mouth Marquette locates Peouarea can correspond with no other considerable stream than the Iowa. Attention should also be called, perhaps, to the southern 'dip' of the Iowa, on the one hand, and of the stream indicated by Marquette on the other."

We may add also that Dr. John Gilmore Shea in his work on "The Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley" (1903). which is our authority for such quotations as we make from Marquette's narrative, says in a note on Page 22, in referring to the Indian villages mentioned by Marquette, "These villages are laid down on the map on the westerly side of the Mississippi, and the only two given are Peouarea and Moingwena, whence it is generallv supposed that the river on which they lay is that now called Des Moines. The upper part of the river still bears the name of Moingonan, while the latitude of the mouth seems to establish the identity. It must, however, be admitted that the latitude given at that day differs from ours generally from 30' to a degree, as we see

\ Marquette's ) Latitudes

I True

| Latitude!

St. Esprit Ste. Marie

St. Ignace

Folh Avoiii0

Pouteoutami

Mascoutens

Peouarea

R. Pekittanoui —

R. Ouabouskigou _:

Akansea

47c

40

Washburn, Wit. Suu/t de Ste. 'Marie

St. Ignore Menominee, Wis. 45 |_ Pt. Sable, Green Bug

■— 44 Berlin, Wis.

■ — 43 Mouth of Wisconsin II.

42 G't Eitsfn Rend of Mix* Wapsipin iron River

: — 41 Iowa River

(t'I. Western Bend of Miss. 40

Illinois River Missouri River

•38

: — 37 Ohio River

— 36

35

— 34

Arkansas River

t— 33°

Fig. 2. A diagramatic comparison of Marquette's latitudes with the true latitudes of all identifiable stations shown upon his map. The dotted lines refer to stations other than those along the Mississippi, some of which do not appear in Fig. 1. The interrupted line is drawn from Peouarea upon the as- sumption that the stream indicated at this point upon Marquette's map is the Iowa river.

pntvi

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 19

in the case of the Wisconsin and Ohio. This would throw Moingwena some- what higher up."

Having established the great probability, if not the practical certainty, that this notable event is a part of our county history, we return to the quaint and interesting narrative of Father Marquette : "At the door of the cabin in which we were to be received was an old man awaiting us in a very remarkable posture ; which is their usual ceremony in receiving strangers. This man was standing, perfectly naked, with his hands stretched out and raised toward the sun, as if he wished to screen himself from its rays, which nevertheless passed through his fingers to his face. When we came near him, he paid us this compliment: 'How beautiful is the sun, O Frenchman, when thou comest to visit us ! All our towns await thee, and thou shalt enter all our cabins in peace.' Marquette and Joliet were then taken into this Indian's cabin, where they were presented with the calumet, or pipe of peace. They then went, by special invitation, to the town 'of the great sachem of all the Illinois,' but the narrative does not tell just where this was, unless it is the one referred to as being 'on the hill about a half a league away.' "

He continues: "Having arrived at the great sachem's town, we espied him at his cabin door, between two old men, all three standing naked, with their calumet turned to the sun. He harangued us in a few words, to congratulate us on our arrival, and then presented us his calumet and made us smoke."

Marquette then gave the sachem some presents, and made a speech, telling of the peaceful and religious nature of his visit. His story proceeds : "When I had finished my speech, the sachem rose, and laying his hand on the head of a little slave, whom he was about to give us, spoke thus : T thank thee, Black- gown, and thee, Frenchman,' addressing Jollyet, 'for taking so much pains to come and visit us ; never has the earth been so beautiful, nor the sun so bright, as today : never has our river been so calm, nor so free from rocks, which your canoes have removed as they passed ; never has our tobacco had so fine a flavor, nor our corn appeared so beautiful as we behold it today. Here is my son, that I give thee, that thou mayest know my heart. I pray thee to take pity on me and all my nation. Thou knowest the Great Spirit who has made us all : thou speakest to him and hearest his word : ask him to give me health and life, and come and dwell with us, that we may know him.' "

The sachem then gave Marquette "an all-mysterious calumet," and begged him not te go further on account of the great danger to which he would be exposed. The first Iowa banquet is thus described : "The council was followed by a great feast which consisted of four courses, which we had to take with all their ways ; the first course was a great wooden dish full of sagamity, that is to say, of Indian meal boiled in water and seasoned with grease. The master of ceremonies, with a spoonful of sagamity, presented it three or four times to my mouth, as we would do with a little child ; he did the same to M. Jollyet. For the second course he brought on a second dish, containing three fish ; he took some pains to remove the bones, and having blown upon it to cool it, put it in my mouth, as he would food to a bird. For the third course they produced a large dog, which they had just killed, but learning that we did not eat it, it was withdrawn. Finally, the fourth course was a piece of wild ox (buffalo) the fattest portions of which were put into our mouths.

20 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

"After this feast we hail to visit the whole village, which consists of full three hundred cabins. While we marched through the streets an orator was constantly haranguing, to oblige all to see us, without being troublesome. . . . We slept in the sachem's cabin, and the next day took leave of him, promising to pass back through his town in four moons. He escorted us to our canoes with nearlv six hundred persons, who saw us embark, evincing in every possible way the pleasure our visit had given them."

In these simple and earnest words is recorded the "opening incident" in the great drama which lias resulted in the partial extinction and permanent banish- ment from this great valley, of its former savage masters, and which has trans- formed its unexplored and sparsely settled forests and prairies into powerful and populous commonwealths. And we of this county may at least take satis- faction, if not pride, in the reasonable belief that Iowa history had its beginning here; that it was within the present limits of Louisa county that the first white man set foot upon Iowa soil, and that the first conference or council, held in the Mississippi valley between civilized man and his savage brother, took place near our present county seat, between the Iowa river and Muscatine slough.

It was here that the envoy of France, and the self-styled, but sincere, "am- bassador of God" first sought to impress the temporal power of an earthly King, and the spiritual glory of a Heavenly Father, upon those "wild republi- cans" of the middle west, whose tribal name, Illinois, signified that they were men.

As noted by Dr. Salter, in his "Iowa," this incident has been immortalized by one of our best loved poets in the closing scene of Hiawatha, and we append a few lines, borrowed from that charming poem :

With a smile of joy and triumph With a look of exultation,

=]: * :|:

Stood and waited Hiawatha, i Toward the sun his hands were lifted.

Both the palms spread out against it. And between the parted fingers Fell the sunshine on his features.

And the noble Hiawatha With his hands aloft extended

dp dp '',:

Waited full of exultation

Till the LMack-Robe chief, the Tale-face.

# * *

Landed on the sandy margin. Then the joyous Hiawatha Cried aloud and spake in this wise: "Beautiful is the sun, O strangers. When you come so far to see us !

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 21

All our town in peace awaits you, All our doors stand open for you ;

* # ■■:■

Never bloomed the earth so gaily,

Never shone the sun so brightly,

As today they shine and blossom

When you come so far to see us !

Never was our lake so tranquil

Nor so free from rocks and sandbars.

Never before had our tobacco

Such a sweet and pleasant flavor,

Never the broad leaves of our corn fields

Were so beautiful to look on.

As they seem to us this morning,

When you come so far to see us !"

And the Black-Robe chief made answer.

Stammered in his speech a little,

Speaking words yet unfamiliar:

"Peace be with you, Hiawatha,

Peace be with you and your people.

Peace of prayer and peace of pardon,

Peace of Christ, and joy of Mary !"

Then the generous Hiawatha

Led the strangers to his wigwam,

And the careful old Nokomis

Brought them food in bowls of basswood,

Water brought in birchen dippers

And the calumet, the peace pipe,

Filled and lighted for their smoking.

All the old men of the village,

All the warriors of the nation, \

* * *

Came to bid the strangers welcome ;

"It is well." they said "O brothers,

That you come so far to see us !"

Then the Black-Robe chief, the prophet, ;|

Told his message to the people.

Told the purport of his mission.

Told them of the Virgin Mary,

And her blessed son, the Saviour.

* * #

And the chiefs made answer saying "We have listened to your message, We have heard your words of wisdom, We will think on what you tell us. It is well for us, O brothers, That you come so far to see us!"

CHAPTER IV. SOME INDIAN HISTORY.

THE ILLINOIS THE IOWAS THE SACS AXD FOXES THE BLACK HAWK WAR — ■

TREATY FOR BLACK HAWK PURCHASE BLACK HAWK — KEOKUK WAPELI.A.

It would be interesting, but apart from our purpose, to follow the further travels of Marquette and Joliet. Their friendly reception by the Illinois Indians caused Marquette to desire to establish a mission among them, but his life was cut short in a little less than two years, and this work fell into other hands. At the time of Marquette's visit, the Illinois were divided into several villages, some of which were many miles away and west from those visited by Marquette. The Illinois are described as of a mild and tractable disposition, though ex- tremely warlike. They were skilled in the use of the bow and arrow, and in Marquette's time they already had guns, but used them chiefly to terrify by their noise and smoke other further western tribes who had little knowledge of firearms. They practiced polygamy and were very jealous of all their wives. They lived on wild game, such as deer, elk, buffalo, turkeys and prairie chickens and they raised corn, beans, and sometimes melons. Their villages consisted of cabins quite large, which were lined and floored with rush mats. They used wooden dishes and made excellent spoons from the bones of the buffalo. It is probable they roamed over a large extent of country on both sides of the Mississippi. As a result of their assassination of Pontiac in 1769, a war of extermination was commenced against the Illinois by Pontiac's followers, chief of whom were the Sacs and Foxes, and it is said that by the beginning of the nineteenth century the tribe of Illinois was almost exterminated.

Another tribe which once roamed over our prairies and inhabited our for- ests was that of the Ioways. It is supposed that a descendant of Manhaugan, about 1680 founded a village near the mouth of the Iowa river. Soon after, we hear of the Ioways with the Winnebagoes on Lake Michigan, and later, along Blue Earth river. In 1775 some of this tribe were found on the Ohio river during Dunmore's war, but the main body seem to have come down the Rock river with the Winnebagoes about this same time, passing thence down the Mississippi, probably on both sides of it to the mouth of the Des Moines, and up that river across Iowa to the Missouri.

There has come down an interesting story of the chivalry of this tribe which is worth preserving. About 1819 it seems that a member of the Sac tribe had treacherously killed an Ioway. Some time afterward, Black Hawk having discovered the murderer, decided to deliver him to the Ioways for punishment,

■ 23

24 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

but the murderer being sick, his brother offered to go in his place. Black Hawk, with a few of his braves, took the voluntary prisoner to the vicinity of the Ioway village, said to be near lowaville, and the prisoner went forward alone to receive his punishment, chanting his death song as he entered the hostile village. Black Hawk returned, and on his way back was astonished to be overtaken at his first encampment by the prisoner, whom he had just escorted to the village and whom he supposed by that time had met a murderer's fate. It seems that the lowas were greatly struck with the magnanimity of the Sac who had volunteered to suffer torture and death in the place of his sick brother, and, after many threats of execution, had not only released him but had given him two horses, one for himself and one for his sick brother.

Soon after the date of this incident, Black Hawk, having learned that the loways were about to march against his village on Rock river, made a forced march, and reached their village and attacked them while they were celebrating their return from a hunt. The victory of the Sacs and Foxes was complete and resulted in the transfer of the sovereignty of this region from the loways to the Sacs and Foxes.

But we of Louisa county are more interested in the history of the Sacs and Foxes than of any other tribe, because they were here when the first white men came to stake their claims.

Dr. Pickard, from whose lecture on "Iowa Indians" we have borrowed quite freely, says that there is an authentic tradition that these two tribes were at the mouth of the St. Lawrence river one hundred years before the coming of the French. After a long time and having pursued different routes, it seems that these tribes came together in the region of Green Bay. At that time it seems that the Foxes were called Outagamies, and in 1712 they joined the Eng- lish Iroquois in an attack upon the French at Detroit, but were defeated and driven by the French over the Wisconsin river. As the result of conflicts with the Ottaways and Chippeways on the north, and the Sioux on the west, they moved southward and in about 1734 they crossed the Mississippi river above Dubuque and established themselves in that region. It was probably not long after this that they began to use the region about the mouth of the Iowa river as hunting grounds, for we find that in 1795 they were down as far as Mont- rose, and a half breed of the Sacs and Foxes had planted an apple orchard there. It was about this time that the beautiful and fertile hunting grounds of these Indians began to be coveted for the home of the white man, and in pon- dering over the various wars and treaties by which the aborigines have lost their ancient homes, while we may sympathize with their fate and drop a tear upon the grave of a departed race, we must remember that this land was not in any proper sense owned by these Indian tribes, nor did they themselves so regard it.

Speaking of this question, Roosevelt, in his "Winning of the West," says : "It cannot be too often insisted that they did not own the land; or, at least, diat their ownership was merely such as that claimed often by our own white hunters. Tf the Indians really owned Kentucky in 1775. then in 1776 it was the property of Boone and his associates ; and to dispossess one party was as great a wrong as to disposses the other. To recognize the Indian ownership of the limitless prairies and forests of this continent — that is, to consider the

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 25

dozen squalid savages who hunted at long intervals over a territory of a thou- sand square miles as owning it outright — necessarily implies a similar recogni- tion of the claims of every white hunter, squatter, horse-thief, or wandering cattleman."

The best authorities estimate that the total number of Indians in the United States did not exceed at any time during the nineteenth century, more than about three hundred and fifteen thousand; and, if we count five persons to a family, this would give to each Indian family a principality of about forty-eight square miles, or over thirty thousand acres ; and, applying this arithmetic to the present limits of the state of Iowa, we would have had a little over five thousand Indians, where we now have more than two and a quarter millions of whites. The truth is that the only title known to the Indian was that of posses- sion, and that this passed from day to day and from tribe to tribe, according to the fortunes of war, or the necessities of the chase. The best and clearest state- ment upon this subject is found in an oration delivered by John Quincy Adams, in December, 1802, and as his theory and arguments seem to have been fol- lowed by our statesmen in their dealings with the Indians, we add a brief quotation from that address: "There are moralists who have questioned the right of Europeans to intrude upon the possessions of the aborigines in any case and under any limitations whatsoever. But have they naturally considered the whole subject? The Indian right of possession itself stands, with regard to the greatest part of the country, upon a questionable foundation. Their cultivated fields, their constructed habitations, a space of ample sufficiency for their subsistence, and whatever they had annexed to themselves by personal labor, was undoubtedly by the laws of nature theirs. But what is the right of a hunstman to the forest of a thousand miles over which he has accidentally ranged in quest of prey? Shall the liberal bounties of Providence to the race of man be monopolized by one of ten thousand for whom they were created? Shall the exuberant bosom of the common mother, amply adequate to the nourishment of millions, be claimed exclusively by a few hundreds of her off- spring? Shall the lordly savage not only disdain the virtues and enjoyments of civilization himself, but shall he control the civilization of a world? Shall he forbid the wilderness to blossom like the rose? Shall he forbid the oaks of the forest to fall before the axe of industry and rise again transformed into the habitation of ease and elegance? Shall he doom an immense region of the globe to perpetual desolation, and to hear the howlings of the tiger and the wolf silence forever the voice of human gladness? Shall the fields and the valleys which a beneficent God has framed to teem with the life of innumerable multitudes be condemned to everlasting barrenness? Shall the mighty rivers. poured out by the hands of nature as channels of communication between numerous nations, roll their waters in sullen silence and eternal solitude to the deep? Have hundreds of commodious harbors, a thousand leagues of coast, and a boundless ocean been spread in the front of this land, and shall every purpose of utility to which they could apply be prohibited by the tenant of the woods? No, generous philanthrophists ! Heaven has not been thus inconsistent in the works of its hands. Heaven has not thus placed at irreconcilable strife its moral laws with its physical creation."

26 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Indeed, the Indians themselves claimed that they did not understand the meaning of the word boundaries, and Mahaska is said to have told Governor Clark, at Prairie du Chien, that he claimed no land in particular.

The first of the Indian treaties that affected the lands of the middle west was made at St. Louis in 1804, by which the Sacs and Foxes were supposed to have ceded to the United States the greater part of their possessions in Illinois, with the right on the part of the Indians to hunt upon all the ceded lands until they were wanted for actual settlement. The Black Hawk war was the direct result of this latter provision, because under it the Indians were not obliged to immediately vacate the land which they had ceded to the government. Within the limits of this cession was the principal village of the Sacs, which was also the home of Black Hawk. In 1816, another treaty was made with these same Indians, which confirmed the treaty of 1804, but Black Hawk did not sign either one of these treaties, and seems to have kept many of the Foxes from assenting to the treaty of 1804, claiming that it was not binding, because nego- tiated by chiefs who were not authorized to make it, but who had been sent to St. Louis merely to secure the release of some Indian prisoners. Black Hawk and his adherents, who were known as the British band, continued to become more and more dissatisfied with the treaty of 1804, and with the loss of the lands which they had so long occupied and which held the graves of so many of their ancestors. Keokuk and Black Hawk did not agree upon this subject, Keokuk being willing to abide by the treaty and to vacate the lands included in it ; and in about 1829, Keokuk with many of the Sacs, crossed the Mississippi river and settled in this region. Keokuk, Wapello and Poweshiek planted vil- lages on or near the Muscatine slough and the Iowa river. It is probable that Keokuk's first village was located about six miles southwest of Muscatine on the high ground on the west bank of that part of Muscatine slough which has been called Keokuk's lake. At least this is the statement made by Hon. J. P. Walton in the Annals of Iowa, Vol. 2, Page 56. Mr. Walton says that this village occupied nearly fifty acres and that at the time he wrote (1895). there were parties yet living in that vicinity who had seen the framework of the buildings in the Indian village. He also says that this village was probably vacated in the year 1834, but if he means to say that Keokuk had his home there until 1834, he is probably mistaken, because we shall find, when we come to the treaty of 1832 for the "Black Hawk Purchase," that that document locates Keokuk's principal village as being on the west bank of the Iowa river, about twelve miles from its mouth, which would indicate that in 1832 Keokuk was living down the Iowa river, about six miles below Wapello, not far from the old village of Florence.

Wapello undoubtedly settled on the Iowa river, but just at what point his first village was located, it is difficult to say. There is a well recognized site of an old Indian village, on the east bank of the Iowa river a short distance north of Harrison hill, and it is thought this was the first place of residence in this county chosen by Wapello. At the time Lieutenant Lea made his trip through this country in 1835 he seems to have learned that Wapello had a village on the west bank of the Iowa river just north of the present city of Wapello, and probably on the northern part of the land now owned by Mr. E. M. Friend, or a little west of it. Poweshiek settled a little further to the

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 27

north; possibly his first settlement was not far from the station of Bard. But it is certain that he had a village at the forks of the Iowa and Cedar rivers, which was named Kiskkakosh, and that shortly after establishing this village he moved again further up the river. About this same time another Indian chief, Tama, crossed over from Illinois and established a village on Flint creek, in Des Moines county. But Black Hawk, though repeatedly asked by the officers and the" agents of the government to do so, refused to leave the Rock river country. He still harped upon the fact that the treaty of 1804 was not binding, and also claimed that lands could not be sold. He said: "My reason teaches me that land cannot be sold. Nothing can be sold but such things as can be carried away." At that time Andrew Jackson was president and few men understood the Indian problem better than he. It had undoubtedly long been a favorite idea with Jackson that the Indians should be moved west of the Mississippi river whether they were willing or not, but of course he pre- ferred that they should go peaceably. Jackson's attention had been forcibly drawn to this subject by the attempt of the Cherokee Indians to establish a national government upon the lands they occupied within the state of Georgia. Jackson declared that if the Indians chose to remain within the limits of the various states they could do so only upon condition that they subject themselves to state laws. In that event of course they were to be protected in the enjoy- ment of "those possessions which they had improved by their industry, because," said Jackson, "it seems visionary to me to suppose that claims can be allowed on tracts of country on which they (the Indians) have neither dwelt nor made improvements, merely because they have seen them from the mountains, or passed them in the chase." In 1830 with the authority of congress, Jackson ordered the Indians removed from the lands which they ceded in 1804.

But Black Hawk hated the Americans anyway, and had no notion of reced- ing from the position he had already taken, viz., that the treaty of 1804 did not consent that the land on which his village stood should be ceded to the United States. It detracts much from the glamour that some writers have sought to throw around the character of Black Hawk to know that he could not have been sincere in this claim, because he had, on three separate and solemn occasions, viz: in 1819, 1822 and 1825, "touched the quill" and assented to treaties which reaffirmed that of 1804. Black Hawk's worst adviser was undoubtedly the half Winnebago and half Sac, known as White Cloud, or the Prophet. He was a crafty and reckless mischief maker, who exercised great influence because of his supposed sacred character, and because of his earnest and persuasive speech. Dr. Thwaites, in his essay on the "Black Hawk War," upon which we have drawn freely, gives an interesting account of the Prophet's dress. "In the matter of dress he must at times have been picturesque. An eye witness, who was in attendance on a Potawatomi council wherein the wizard was urging the cause of Black Hawk, describes him as dressed in a faultless white buckskin suit, fringed at the seams; wearing a towering head dress of the same material, capped with a bunch of fine eagle feathers ; each ankle girt with a wreath of small sleighbells which jingled at every step, while in his nose and ears were ponderous gold rings gently tinkling one against the other as he shook his ponderous head in the warmth of harangue." The prophet

28 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

and the British agent at Maiden, and many others, coincided with Black Hawk, giving him just the advice he wanted.

In the spring of 1830 Black Hawk and his hand, after an unsuccessful hunt. came hack "to find their town almost completely shattered, many of the graves ploughed over, and the whites more abusive than ever," and encroashing more and more upon the lands at the mouth of Rock river. Things went from bad to worse, when, in the spring of 1831, Black Hawk was officially informed of the order from Washington for him to go to the west side of the Mississippi. It was then, according to Galland's "Iowa Emigrant," that Black Hawk gathered his band around him and made them this speech, which is characteristic of the man, and seems to fully state his view of his grievances :

"Warriors : Sixty summers or more have gone since our fathers sat down here, and our mothers erected their lodges on this spot. On these pastures our horses have fattened ; our wives and daughters have cultivated the cornfields, and planted beans and melons and squashes ; from these rivers our young men have obtained an abundance of fish. Here, too, you have been protected from your old enemy, the Sioux, by the mighty Mississippi. And here are the bones of our warriors and chiefs and orators. But alas! wdiat do I hear? The birds that have long gladdened these groves with their melody now sing a melancholy song! They say, 'The red man must leave his home, to make room for the white man.' The Long Knives want it for their speculation and greed. They want to live in our houses, plant corn in our fields, and plough up our graves ! They want to fatten their hogs on our dead, not yet mouldered in their graves ! We are ordered to remove to the west bank of the Mississippi; there to erect other houses, and open new fields, of which we shall soon be robbed again by these pale faces ! They tell us that our great father, the chief of the Long Knives, has commanded us, his red children, to give this, our greatest town, our greatest graveyard, and our best home, to his white children ! I do not believe it. It cannot be true; it is impossible that so great a chief should com- pel us to seek new homes, and prepare new cornfields, and that, too, in a country where our women and children will be in danger of being murdered by our enemies. No ! No ! Our great father, the chief of the Long Knives, wall never do this. I have heard these silly tales for seven winters, that we were to be driven from our homes. You know we offered the Long Knives a large tract of country abounding with lead on the west side of the Mississippi, if they would relinquish their claim to this little spot. We will, therefore, repair our houses which the pale faced vagabonds have torn down and burnt, and we will plant our corn; and if these white intruders annoy us, we will tell them to depart. We will offer them no violence, except in self-defense. We will not kill their cattle, or destroy any of their property, but their scutah n'apo (whiskey) we will search for and destroy, throwing it out upon the earth, wherever we find it. We have asked permission of the intruders to cultivate our own fields, around which they have erected wooden walls. They refuse, and forbid us the privilege of climbing over. We will throw down these walls. and, as these pale-faces seem unwilling to live in the community with us, let them, and not us, depart. The land is ours, not theirs. We inherited it from our fathers; we have never sold it. If some drunken dogs of our people sold lands they did not own, our rights remain. We have no chiefs who are author-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 29

ized to sell our cornfields, our homes, or the bones of our dead. The great chief of the Long Knives, I believe, is too wise and good to approve acts of robbery and injustice, though I have found true the statement of my British friends in Canada, that the 'Long Knives will always claim the land where they are permitted to make a track with their foot, or mark a tree.' I will not, however, believe that the great chief, who is pleased to call himself our 'Father.' will send his warriors against his children for no other cause than contending to cultivate their own fields, and occupy their own houses. No ! I will not believe it. until I see his arm}-. Not until then will 1 forsake the graves of my ancestors, and the home of my youth !"

In his biography Black Hawk also complains, doubtless with truth, that white people had brought whiskey into the village, and cheated the Indians without mercy. He says that in the case of one man who continued this "fradu- lent practice" openly, he took some of his young braves, went to the man's house, and broke in the head of his whiskey barrel.

At length, confronted by General Gaines, in command of several hundred regulars, and sixteen hundred Illinois volunteers under Governor John Rey- nolds, Black Hawk crossed over to the west side of the Mississippi river, signed another treaty agreeing never again to go on the east side without the permis- sion of the government, and, as it was then too late to raise a crop, he and his followers spent the remainder of the season wandering about, brooding over their wrongs. The following winter he was engaged in making up his war party, much of the time being spent about Fort Madison, and much of the time in this county. The Black Hawk war, like many other notable things, undoubtedly had its beginning in this county.

Dr. Thwaites says: "On the 6th of April, 1832, Black Hawk and Neapope, with about five hundred warriors (chiefly Sauks), their squaws and children, and all their possessions, crossed the Mississippi at Yellow Banks, below the mouth of the Rock, and invaded the state of Illinois."

And William L. Toole, one of our earliest and foremost pioneers, in the January, 1868, number of the "Annals of Iowa," speaking of the Indian trail down the Iowa from Poweshiek's village to Wapello village, then to the village of Chief Keokuk, and then across on the north side of the river to the ancient mounds at Toolesboro, says : "And on this trail the warriors of those villages passed to the Masso-Sepo (Indian for Mississippi) with their ponies, and across it to the upper sand-bank (New Boston), some going in canoes down the Iowa, taking their arms, ammunition, etc., preparatory to the war of 1832."

Still another authority for the statement that the starting point for Black Hawk's war expedition was in this county, is John B. Newhall, in his "Emi- grants Guide." In speaking of Florence, which was once a flourishing and promising hamlet, supposed to have been located on the very spot where "Keo- kuk's principal village" stood in 1832. Mr. Newhall says: "Florence is un- rivalled in beauty of location. It has one of the best ferries upon the Iowa, and is surrounded by a densely populated settlement. Here the renowned chief. Black Hawk, resided until the Indian hostilities of 1832; and here, 'Beneath this green turf, by the riv'let of sands,' repose the bones of his ancestors, where they have rested in peace .for centuries. It was for this sacred spot that he

30 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

gave the warwhoop, and rallied forth his countrymen to the last deadly con- flict, in defense of their homes, and the graves

'Where sleep their warriors, where rival chieftains lay. And mighty tribes swept from the face of day.'

"But they were conquered, and this illustrious chief was doomed to wander a stranger in the land of his forefathers. His lodge was still standing at the time the country was surveyed. The writer lingers with peculiar interest upon this spot, having been among the first (White men) to set landmarks of civiliza- tion upon the 'Keokuk Reserve,' having laid off the town of Florence, and being associated in the ownership of this celebrated 'Indian council house' from its transfer from the Indians. We kept it nearly two years in good state of preservation, and strangers from far and near came to look upon this last monument of Black Hawk. But in an evil hour the sacrilegious work of innova- tion had taken its unsparing sway, and the thoughtless denizens razed it to the earth for the more profitable culture of a cornfield."

We may also cite Jesse Williams' "Iowa." published in 1840; referring to Township -t, North, Range 2 West, which contains both Toolesboro and Flor- ence: he says: "This Township is one of the most noted in the territory. Here the celebrated Indian Chief Black Hawk resided until the Indian hostilities of 1832, — and it is here where the bones of his ancestors have rested in peace for centuries, — and it was for this spot, this sacred spot, that he gave the warwhoops and rallied forth his countrymen to the last deadly struggle in defense of this, the home of their ancestors. His home was still standing at the time when the surveys were made; it stood on the south bank of the Iowa in Section 20. The village of Florence was located on the south fraction of Section 20."

The only value of the above quotations from Newhall and Williams is that they associate Black Hawk with the vicinity of Florence in 1832; the rest is too extravagant to be within the limits of poetic license. To Black Hawk, the resting place of his ancestors was at the mouth of Rock river, in Illinois : and even had Florence been the "sacred spot," it and all the land around it, as well as nearly all of Iowa, was in the undisputed possession of the Indians, and it required neither war nor warwhoop to insure them in their possession.

The early opening of this territory to settlement by the whites, is due to Black Hawk's foolhardy war, for had he remained peaceful, he could have spent his life here. And Keokuk evidently so understood the situation, for he did all in his power to prevent the war.

One memorable occurrence said to have happened at Keokuk's village, illus- trates both the eloquence and the influence of Keokuk. Emissaries sent by the Prophet had made inflammatory speeches to the Indians, had supplied them with whiskey, and had excited them to such a pitch of frenzv that they declared for war. and demanded that he, their chief, should lead them. Keokuk arose slowly, folded his blanket across his breast, and said :

"Braves, I am your chief, to rule you as a father at home, and to lead you to war, if you are determined to go; but in this war there is only one course. The United States is a great power; and unless we conquer, we must perish. I will lead you on one condition only, that we put our old men and the women

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 31

and children to death, and resolve when we cross the Mississippi never to re- turn, but perish among the graves of our fathers."

This speech had the effect of bringing the clamorous braves to a realization of the madness of their course, with the result that few of Keokuk's followers joined in the Black Hawk war. Black Hawk and his war party received some accessions east of the Mississippi, and, after perpetrating a few outrages and meeting with some temporary success, the)' suffered a most signal defeat at Bad Axe, Wisconsin — a defeat almost as disgraceful to the whites for its wanton butchery, as it was disastrous to the . Indians.

The battle of Bad Axe occurred August 2, 1832, and as a result of it, and of the subsequent capture of Black Hawk, a great council was held, to which the chiefs who had joined with Black Hawk were summoned. This council met September 21, 1832, at Rock Island. The United States was represented by General Winfield Scott, and Governor John Reynolds, of Illinois, and the Indians were represented by the Sac chiefs Keokuk, or "he who has been everywhere," Pa-she-pa-ho, or "the stabber," Wawk-kum-mee, or "clear water," and O-sow-wish-kan-no, or "yellow bird," and by the Fox chiefs Wau-pel-la, or "he who is painted white," Tay-wee-man, or "medicine man," Pow-sheek, or "the roused bear," Kaw-kaw-kee, or "the crow," Mau-que-tee, or "the bald eagle," and others of both tribes, there being in all the names of nine Sacs and twenty Foxes attached to the treaty, all of them signing by their marks.

We quote the main parts of this treaty :

"Articles of a treaty of peace, friendship, and cession, concluded at Fort Armstrong, Rock Island. Illinois, between the United States of America, by their commissioners, Major General Winfield Scott, of the United States Army, and His Excellency John Reynolds, governor of the state of Illinois, and the confederated tribes of Sac and Fox Indians, represented in general council, by the undersigned chiefs, head men and warriors.

"Whereas, under certain lawless and desperate leaders, a formidable band, constituting a large portion of the Sac and Fox nation, left their country in April last, and, in violation of treaties, commenced an unprovoked war upon unsuspecting and defenceless citizens of the United States, sparing neither age nor sex ; and whereas, the United States, at a great expense of treasure, have subdued the said hostile band, killing or capturing all its principal chiefs and warriors ; the said states, partly as indemnity for the expenses incurred, and partlv to secure the future safety and tranquillity of the invaded frontier, de- mand of the said tribes, to the use of the United States, a cession of a tract of the Sac and Fox country, bordering on said frontier, more than proportional to the numbers of the hostile band who have been so conquered and subdued.

"Article 1. Accordingly, the confederated tribes of Sacs and Foxes hereby cede to the United States forever, all the lands to which the said tribes have title or claim (with the exception of the reservation hereinafter made), included within the following bounds, to wit: 'Beginning on the Mississippi river, at the point where the Sac and Fox northern boundary line, as established by the second article of the treaty of Prairie du Chien, of the fifteenth of July, one thousand eight hundred and thirty, strikes said river: thence, up said

3:2 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

boundary line to a point fifty miles from the Mississippi, measured on said line; thence, in a right line to the nearest point on the Red Cedar of the Ioway. forty miles from the Mississippi river ; thence, in a right line to a point in the northern boundary line of the State of Missouri, fifty miles, measured on said boundary, from the Mississippi river ; thence, by the last mentioned boundary to the Mississippi river, and by the western shore of said river to the place of beginning. And the said confederated tribes of Sacs and Foxes hereby stipu- late and agree to remove from the lands herein ceded to the United States, on or before the first day of June next; and, in order to prevent any future mis- understanding, it is expressly understood, that no band or party of the Sac or Fox tribe shall reside, plant, fish, or hunt, on any portion of the ceded country after the period just mentioned.

"Article 2. Out of the cession made in the preceding article, the United States agree to a reservation for the use of the said confederated tribes, of a tract of land containing four hundred square miles, to be laid off under the direction of the President of the United States, from the boundarv line cross- ing the Ioway river in such manner that nearly an equal portion of the reserva- tion may be on both sides of said river, and extending downwards, so as to include Ke-o-kuck's principal village on its right bank, which village is about twelve miles from the Mississippi river.

"Article 7. Trusting to the good faith of the neutral bands of Sacs and Foxes, the United States have already delivered up to those bands the great mass of prisoners made in the course of the war by the United States, and promise to use their influence to procure the delivery of other Sacs and Foxes, who may still be prisoners in the hands of a band of Sioux Indians, the friends of the United States ; but the following named prisoners of war, now in con- finement, who were chiefs ami head men. shall be held as hostages for the future good conduct of the late hostile bands, during the pleasure of the Presi- dent of the United States, viz : Muk-ka-ta-mish-a-ka-kaik (or Black Hawk) and his two sons; Wau-ba-kee-shik (the Prophet) his brother and two sons; Napope, We-sheet Ioway, Pamaho, and Cha-kee-pa-shi-pa-ho (the little stab- bing chief).

**********

"Article 10. The United States, besides the presents, delivered at the sign- ing of this treaty, wishing to give a striking evidence of their mercy and liberal- ity, will immediately cause to be issued to the said confederated tribes, princi- pally for the use of the Sac and Fox women and children, whose husbands, fathers and brothers, have been killed in the late war, and generally for the use of the whole confederated tribes, articles of subsistence, as follows: thirty- five beef cattle; twelve bushels of salt; thirty barrels of pork, and fifty barrels of flour ; and cause to be delivered for the same purposes, in the month of April next, at the mouth of the lower Ioway. six thousand barrels of maize or Indian corn.

* * ********

"Article 12. This treaty shall take effect and be obligatory on the contract- ing parties, as soon as the same shall be ratified by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 33

"Done at Fort Armstrong, Rock Island, Illinois, this twenty-first day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two. and of the independence of the United States the fifty-seventh."

The land acquired by this treaty was sometimes called "Scott's Purchase," and sometimes called "The Black Hawk Purchase," and this latter name is the one bv which it is best known.

Black Hawk was present at the treaty, but being a prisoner, and held as a hostage, he was not permitted to have any part in it, except that he was humiliated by being placed in charge of Keokuk, his great rival, who was made chief by .Scott and Reynolds. The following letter, written by the commissioners on the part of the United States at the time, was resurrected in the Interior Department, and will be interesting in connection with this treaty.

"Rock Island, September 22, 1832.

"Sir: As commissioners on the part of the United States, who have nego- tiated treaties with the Winnebago Nation and the confederated tribes of Sacs and Foxes, we have promised medals to certain Indians as follows : Tohaly Winnebago, half Sioux, belonging to the Winnebagoes under General Street's Agency (the Indian who took Black Hawk, and the Prophet) a medal of the second size; to the Stabbing Chief, a Sac, and to Wapella, a Fox, a medal, each, of the first or largest size.

"We will beg you to send the three medals promised as above, to the Agents of these Nations, respectively, to be presented in the name, and in behalf of the United States.

"The medals left by you, with one of the commissioners, have been disposed of as follows : One of the largest size to the principal chief, Canomance, a Winnebago of General Street's Agency; one of the third size to the son of the Crow, or Blind, a Winnebago, of the Rock River Agency, who served gallantly with General Dodge, in the late campaign ; one of the largest size to Keo-kuck, a Sac, whom we made a Chief, in the name of the President of the United States, and with the approbation of the confederated tribes; one of the second size to Ma-ton-e-qua, a Fox chief, and one each, of the smallest size to Pe-a- che-noa, and Wah-ko-mu, two young Sac chiefs, and Ma-qua-pa-che-to, a young Fox chief.

"The box of Indian goods, containing red and blue cloth, blankets, shirts, handkerchiefs, knives, and paints, and the keg of tobacco left by you with the same commissioner, have been distributed, with many other presents purchased here, among the tribes with which we have held treaties.

"We have the honor to be, with great respect,

"Yr mo obt,

"(Signature) Winfield Scott. "John Reynolds,

"General William Clark, Superintendent of Indian Affairs."

We had considerable curiosity to learn the particulars as to the fulfillment, on the part of the government of the 10th article of the treaty, providing for the delivery of the six thousand bushels of corn at the mouth of the "lower Ioway" in April, 1833, as it would certainly be the first official transaction

34 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

within the limits of Louisa county. The following letter is all that we have been able to get, but it is interesting as showing that before "we-uns" began to raise corn, it cost a dollar a bushel delivered here by boat.

"SUPERINTENDENCY OF INDIAN AFFAIRS,

"St. Louis, July 30, 1833. "Sir: My bill of exchange of this date, favr of Henry S. Coxe, Esq., Cash., of the Branch Rank of the United States at this place, or order, for Six- Thousand Dollars, is on account of the purchase of corn for the Sacs and Foxes, under the tenth article of their Treaty of 21st Sept.. 1832, and under appropria- tion of 2nd March, 1833, — and which when paid will be chargeable to me on that account.

"I have the honor to be "With high respect, "Your most ob' ser't,

"Wm. Clark. "The Hon. Lewis Cass, Secretary of War."

The reader will already have formed some idea of Black Hawk and Keokuk, but perhaps a few additional words in regard to them and also a brief sketch of Wapello would be appropriate. Black Hawk was born at the Sac village near Rock river, in 17(17, aml although not a chief either by heredity or election, he became in time the acknowledged head of his people. He was possessed of con- siderable ambition and seemed to be always looking for a grievance. He was jealous of Keokuk and Wapello and usually found an opportunity to dispute with them when any important question was to be decided. He may have been honest in many of his opinions but was easily influenced, especially in unwise direc- tions. He took part under Tecumseh with the British in the war of 181 2 and he was always a British sympathizer. With his heart broken and as the result of the war, and his dethronement in favor of Keokuk, Black Hawk died in Octo- ber. 1838, near the Des Moines river, in Davis county. Iowa. It is said that in the following year an Illinois physician rifled his grave and that upon complaint being made by Black Hawk's followers, the skeleton was delivered to Governor Lucas at Burlington, and was burned on the night of January 16, 1853, while deposited in an office in Burlington, pending its removal to Iowa City.

Keokuk, as we have already seen, belonged to the peace party. He was a friend to the Americans and was opposed to the mad counsels of Black Hawk. He seemed to have some of the gifts of a statesman and diplomatist. He was a large man, of rather fine figure, with dignified and graceful manners, with a pow- erful voice and a rather prepossessing countenance. He was fond of a good horse and liked to make a great show, and it is said that he possessed the finest horse in the west at the time George Catlin visited his village on the Des Moines river and painted his portrait. He seemed to have the ability to organize and to discipline his men and to hold them in subjection. It is said that Keokuk was not a full blooded Indian, but that his mother's name was La Lott, a half breed Indian woman. The authority for this statement occurs in a pamphlet entitled "The Old Settlers." published in Keokuk, in December, 187(1. In this pamphlet i^ a copy of a letter to General William Clark, superintendent of Indian Affairs.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 35

at St. Louis, dated June 9, 1830, written by Thomas Forsythe, Indian agent, on behalf of six Indian chiefs, among whom were Tiamah and Keokuk. The body of the letter refers to the possession of the "half breed lands" under the treaty of August 4, 1824, and in a postscript, "La Lott, a half breed," is referred to as Keokuk's mother, and a request is made that she have a share in the half breed lands.

Keokuk lived in this county down about the site of the old village of Florence for a few years, immediately following the Black Hawk war, and moved from there to lands on the Des Moines river, probably a short time before the cession by the Indians of what is known as the "Keokuk reservation," to which refer- ence will be made hereafter.

Wapello, or Waupella, or Wapella, as the name is variously written, was a prominent Fox, or Musquakie Indian. We quote an interesting account of him from Mr. Newhall's work : "He was among the delegation that visited Wash- ington in 1837 and made a very favorable impression by his dignified and correct deportment on that occasion. In stature, he is more heavily built than the major- ity of the Indians, and has the appearance of great muscular strength. His vil- lage has been (until the purchase of the Keokuk reserve in 1836) upon the banks of the Iowa, the present town of which still retains his name, being the seat of justice of Louisa county. Wapella has been much in war. I think he informed me last summer (1840), that he had been in battle thirty different times, prin- cipally with the Sioux. One of his greatest battles was on the head waters of the Des Moines, a few years ago, where he led a party, and commenced an attack upon three Sioux villages, took many scalps, and brought away several prisoners.

"I met him at Washington in 1837; he instantly recognized me, and giving me a hearty shake of the hand, said he was very glad to meet with a che-mo-co- mon (white man) whom he had known beyond the 'big Sepo' (Mississippi). Having some curiosity to witness their diplomacy while negotiating with govern- ment for the sale of their land, I attended several of their councils. I noticed on these occasions, Wapella fully recognized the authority of Keokuck. 'My father.' says Wapella, addressing the secretary of war, 'you have heard what my chief had to say ; his tongue is ours — what he says, we all say.'

"Perhaps I cannot better conclude this sketch of Wapella than by quoting his speech in reply to Governor Everett, at the Boston state house in 1837, and which I extract from 'Biographical Sketches of the Indians.'

"After Keokuck had addressed the governor and members of the legislature, Wapella made the following speech: T am very happy to meet my friends in the land of my forefathers. When a boy I recollect my grandfather told me of this place, where the white man used to take our fathers by the hand. I am very happy that this land has induced so many men to come upon it. By that, I think thev get a good living on it and I am pleased that they content themselves to stay upon it. I am always glad to give the white man my hand, and call him brother. Perhaps you have heard that my tribe is respected by all others, and is the oldest among the tribes. I have shaken hands with a great many different tribes of people. I am very much gratified that I have lived to come and talk to the white men in this house, where my father talked, which I heard of so many years ago. I will go home and tell all I have seen and it shall never be forgotten by my children.'

36 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

"Wapella's deportment and bearing towards strangers is marked by much true dignity and politeness. Having visited his village last summer he manifested much satisfaction that I had called upon him. When I informed him that I had come to see his people and his village to write a description of it in a book, he seemed highly gratified and wished to know if I would send him one. It was with some difficulty tbat he could, at first, appreciate a visit so disinterested, that a motive merely to gratify curiosity could have brought me to this country. When fully convinced that such was the fact he appreciated it as a high honor. He said that white men generally came and questioned them about selling more of their country, which appeared to annoy him, and said his people did not wish to sell any more land. He was quite communicative and made many inquiries about Washington and Boston. He said Boston was a 'nisheshing' place, and then showed me his silver medal, presented by the city of Boston in 1837. He thought Governor Everett was a great 'brave' and a great 'medicine man' and that he had a big 'wickeup' on a high hill (the state house), and on the prairie (common) below, he had all his 'warriors' out with their big guns when he was there. He said he should be very glad to see the great 'brave' from Boston at his wickeup and he hoped the Great or Good Spirit would bless him and all his war- riors. He wished me to give his compliments to him (Governor Everett) if I should ever see him again, for, said he, 'my heart is good towards him.' "

We find considerable interesting information about Wapella in the "Annals of Iowa," Vol. 2, Page, 636, and glean that in 1816 or later he ruled over one of the old Indian villages near the mouth of Rock river and that in 1829, when he moved to the west side of the Mississippi, he established himself on Muscatine slough. In 1836, about the time of the Keokuk reserve treaty, he moved to a point near Ottumwa, where he died in March, 1842. Just prior to his death he had started on a trip to visit the scenes and haunts of his former years, but was taken sick and died near the forks of the Skunk river. At his own request he was buried near the grave of his old friend. General Joseph M. Street, at wdiat is known as the old Sac and Fox Agency.

CHAPTER V. THE IOWA DISTRICT.

OUR VARIOUS RULERS — DIFFERENT TERRITORIES ZEBULON M. PIKE REV. CUTTING

MARSH — ALBERT M. LEA REV. JAMES L. SCOTT REV. ASA TURNER COLONEL

CROGAN ESTABLISHMENT OF DEMOINE COUNTY.

The kaleidoscopic changes of dominion which the territory now embraced in this county underwent, the different jurisdictions and various forms of govern- mental administration to which it was subjected before the time Iowa became an organized territory, have been briefly set forth in chronological order in the table "Appendix," entitled "Charters, Grants, Treaties and Laws, affecting Louisa county." Spain, France and England, at various times and under various claims and pretexts, asserted sovereignty over this part of the world prior to 1803. Then Napoleon, seeking in the interest of France to build up a maritime rival to England, and Jefferson, though feeling that he thereby may have overstepped the constitution, arranged for the purchase by the United States of the territory then called the province of Louisiana. Congress in 1804 divided "that portion of the country ceded by France to the United States under the name of Louisiana," and provided that all of it south of Mississippi territory and south of thirty-three degrees of north latitude should constitute the terriory of Orleans, and that "the residue of the province of Louisiana should be called the district of Louisiana and be under the jurisdiction of the governor and judges of Indiana territory."

By another slight change we became, on March 3, 1805, a part of the terri- tory of Louisiana ; and in 1812, after the admission of Louisiana as a state, we were turned over to the jurisdiction of Missouri territory: and as a part of the compromise by which that territory was admitted to the Union as a slave state, we came to belong to the part in which there was never to be any slavery. How- ever, we were left "orphans" without any local government until, in June. 1834. congress attached us to the territory of Michigan. In reality we had no local government worthy of the name until the organization of Wisconsin territory by the act of congress, approved June 12, 1836, which took effect on the 3d of July of that year.

As pointed out by Dr. Shambaugh, in his "History of the Constitutions of Iowa," the changes we have just been noting were largely, if not entirely, "changes in subordinate jurisdiction over a geographical area, and in no sense the annals of a political society" since this country was practically without white inhabitants prior to 1830, and had but few of them up to 1833.

Indeed, in some quarters it was supposed that we were in the land of the terrible Sioux. A "View of the Mississippi Valley," etc., published by H. S.

37

38 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Tanner in 1832, purporting to l>e an "emigrants and travelers' guide to the west," designates what is now Iowa as a part of the great Sioux district — a district said to contain 162,385 square miles and to have within its limits 25,000 Sioux Indians. No settlement or fort in Iowa is shown on Tanner's map, nor does the Iowa river appear on it. It may also be interesting in this connection to note that although the state of Illinois was admitted in 1818, it appears from Tan- ner's work that in 1830 there were only twenty-six inhabitants in Mercer county, Illinois ; forty-one in Henry county, Illinois ; three hundred and eight in Warren county; and two hundred and seventy- four in Knox county.

The knowledge, or rather lack of knowledge, of the part of country west of the Mississippi river as portrayed in Mr. Tanner's book, was probably due to the fact that the country was not then open for settlement, and not expected to be for man}- years to come. Before Pike and his immediate predecessors, Lewis and Clark, had made and reported their explorations, this was considered to be an arid and uninhabitable country "except upon the borders of rivers and creeks."

On August 9, 1805, a government expedition of twenty men. under command of the fearless and brilliant Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike, left St. Louis for a trip up the Mississippi river, with a view of visiting the various Indian tribes in the upper Mississippi valley and gaining information about the country. August 20th the expedition had arrived at the foot of the Rapids des Moines, and in passing up these rapids they were met by William Ewing, an agent of the United States, accompanied by a French interpreter and fifteen Sac Indians in their canoes, who came to assist the expedition over the rapids. After passing Burlington and noting a good place for a fort, where Crapo Park now is. Lieutenant Pike, accord- ing to his journal, on Saturday, August 24th, "encamped on the west shore nearly opposite a chalk bank." This was undoubtedly in Louisa county, a little north of the Des Moines county line, and nearly opposite the town of Keithsburg. Just before this. Pike had been out hunting on the west shore and had lost his two favorite hunting dogs. Two of his men had volunteered to find them. These men wandered northward, meeting with Indians probably along the Muscatine slough, and with these Indians for guides they finally joined Pike at Dubuque on the 1st of September. These two men, whose names have not been given, are doubtless the first white men who traversed Louisa county from north to south. and the first to travel any considerable part of it since the visit of Marquette.

On Sunday, the 25th. the expedition stopped on a "sandbank prairie" on the east side of the river, from which there was a beautiful view down the river, and the next day it is recorded that they passed the mouth of the Iowa river and camped at night on Grant's prairie. The explorer thus speaks of the Iowa river : "The Iowa river bears from the Mississippi S. W. and is one hundred and fifty yards wide at its mouth. In ascending the Iowa thirty-six miles, you come to a fork. The right branch is called the Red Cedar from the great quan- tity of that wood found on its banks. It is navigable for bateaux nearly three hundred miles. It then branches into three forks called the Turkey's Foot. Ten miles up the Iowa from its mouth is a village of Iowa Indians."

The village of Iowa Indians here referred to is shown on Lieutenant Pike's map as being on the north side of the Iowa opposite the big bend in the river just about north of Elrick function.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 36

On the night of August 25th, Pike's men camped on the west side at what he calls Grant's prairie, and this is supposed to have been at about the boundary line between Muscatine and Louisa counties, and opposite the lower end of Blanchard's Island. Speaking of the Iowa Indians, Lieutenant Pike says that they had two villages, one on the Iowa river, and one on the river "De Moyen" and that their hunting ground was from the west side of the Mississippi river to the river De Moyen, and westward to the Missouri, and that their wars and alliances were the same as those of the Sacs and Foxes (called by him Sauks and Reynards), under whose special protection they considered themselves to be. He speaks of the Iowa Indians as less civilized than the Sacs and Foxes, though they were in the habit of cultivating corn to some extent.

In 1808 a fort was built near Fort Madison, but this was claimed by the Indians to be in violation of the treaty of 1804 and caused a great deal of trouble. There were several Indian attacks made upon it and finally in 181 3, in the face of an attack from an overwhelming force of Indians, it was abandoned and destroyed by its small remaining garrison, the latter escaping down the river in boats.

About the time Fort Madison was built, a trading post was established at Flint Hills, near the present site of Burlington, by Colonel Johnson, but this was burned within a few years. From this time on there were occasional new arrivals in the neighborhood of Keokuk, but they were few and far between. About 1830, as Professor Parvin has shown, there were enough families settled near Keokuk for Berryman Jennings to organize and teach the first school taught in what is now Iowa. This was, at the time, the only school north of Missouri between the Mississippi river and the Pacific ocean. But, to come a little nearer home, we find that the Stockbridge Indians from up near Green Bay sent a dele- gation to visit the Sacs and Foxes in 1834, to try to prevail on them to abandon their savage life, to have schools established among them, and to take on some of the ways of civilized life. Along with this delegation was the Rev. Cutting Marsh, a member of the American board of commissioners for foreign missions, and his observations made shortly after the visit and which are recorded in the Wisconsin Historical Collection, Vol. XV, are worthy of a place in our history, because they record his impressions of this county and of its savage inhabitants just prior to the entry of the white man :

"Keokuk's, the principal village of the Sacs, is situated on the eastern bank of the Iowa river, about twelve miles from its mouth. It contains between forty and fifty lodges, some are forty or fifty feet in length, constructed of bark. The village is at the northern extremity of a delightful prairie extending south and west. There were probably four hundred souls in it. Upon entering the village, which is formed without any order, my attention was attracted by Black Hawk's lodge. This was enclosed by a neat fence of poles, embracing four or five rods in a circular form. A little gate led into it ; around the inside, melon vines had been planted. The lodge was constructed of peeled bark. It was perfectly tight, except a hole at the top for the smoke to pass out. At the sides, places were built all around, about three feet from the ground, and mats spread over, on which they sat and slept. It was furnished witn some dining chairs, which I saw at no other lodge in the nation. I was received politely by the children of Black- Hawk, himself and wife being absent. I never before witnessed such a specimen

40 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

of neatness and good order in any Indian lodge. Although Black Hawk is not permitted to hold any office, it is questionable whether he is not as much respected as the haughty Keokuk, who now holds the reins of government.

"Wending my way to Keokuk's lodge, which was about fifty feet long, I found him sitting with prince-like dignity in one corner, surrounded by his young men, and wives not less than five. He appeared distant and not disposed to converse, hut treated me with politeness anil hospitality, and ordered his young men to put out the horses, and supper to be prepared. I found him unwilling to listen to any suggestions respecting the object of my visit, as was the other chief, Pash-e-pa-ho, the Stabber. There was the same unwillingness to hear anything respecting religion, and all made light of it when mentioned in the presence of the latter chief.

"Wapello's village is about ten miles above Keokuk's, is considered to contain thirty lodges. He is a notorious drunkard, and his band follows the example of their chief. At this village I learned that a man murdered his wife a few days before, and then cut off her nose and ears. The Indians are jealous of their wives, and if at such times an Indian cuts off the nose or ears of his wife, no notice is taken of it.

"Poweshiek's village is upon the Red Cedar, a branch of the Iowa, about ten miles from its mouth. Poweshiek is second chief among the Foxes. The village contains about forty lodges and four hundred souls, as Poweshiek informed me. He sent one of his young men to inform me I could stay at his lodge, and assigned me a place in it. He is about forty years of age, savage in appearance, and very much debased, as well as all his band. Still he was more willing to converse than either of the chiefs before mentioned. 1 inquired about the instruction of his young men. He replied that he would like to have two or three educated for interpreters, but he did not want schools, for he wished to have his young men warriors. I inquired if he should not like to have his young men to make farms. I le answered they could work with a hoe, and did not want a plow; thev chosL- rather to hunt for a living than cultivate the ground. He said, 'The Great Spirit made us to fight and kill one another when we are a mind to.' I showed some young men specimens of Ojibwa writing, and asked if they would not like to have some one come and teach them. They answered, 'We do not want to learn : we want to kill Sioux." . . . Besides the villages enumerated there are a number of others consisting of three or four or half a dozen lodges, some of which 1 visited.

"The Sacs and Foxes are strongly attached to their superstitions; I have seen no Indians so much so, and they guard with jealous care against any change. Their great object is war and hunting, so as to rank among the braves, wear the polecat's tail upon the calves of the legs, and the shau-no-e-hun (small bells ). and strike the post in the war dance, and tell the number they have killed in battle. To this there are some exceptions. One of the most striking is Appanoose. He is young and inspiring, and possesses more independence of mind than any of the rest of the chiefs. He expressed a desire to have something done for the improvement of his people. . . .

"Keokuk in years past manifested a desire to have one of his sons educated, but his mind has been changed. He is altogether under the influence of the traders of the American Fur Company, who are exceedingly hostile to missionary

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 41

operations. At a council, Colonel William Davenport, commanding officer at Fort Armstrong, strongly urged upon the chiefs to have missionaries. They replied, 'We do not want missionaries.' "

Another and quite different estimate of the Sac and Fox Indians is found in Volume 28, Thwaite's Early Western Travels, in a republication of "Farnham's Travels." It is as follows : "For centuries the prairies of Illinois and Iowa were the theater of their exterminating prowess, and to them is to be attributed the almost entire destruction of the Missouris, the Illinois, Cahokias, Kaskaskias and Peorias. They were, however, steady and sincere in their friendships for the whites; and many is the honest old settler on the borders of their old dominion, who mentions with the warmest feelings, the respectful treatment he has received from them, while he cut the logs for his cabin, and ploughed his potato patch on that lonely and unprotected frontier."

As we have already noted, the Black Hawk war brought this part of the country into very great and very sudden notoriety. In a few short weeks, from a comparatively unknown and untalked of wilderness, it became one of the fore- most topics on the lips of many in the south and east who were looking for broader acres on which to make better homes. About this time the antiquated methods of transportation by flatboats or bateaux was giving way to boats pro- pelled by steam power, and this part of the country, because of the Mississippi along its entire eastern border and of other great rivers which permeated it, was considered especially desirable; for in those days navigable streams were of vastly more importance than they are since the advent of the railroad. Many of our earliest settlers came from Virginia. Kentucky, Tennessee and states near to or bordering on the Ohio river ; and that river was for a while the principal road to Iowa. And we may be sure that when the country about the Iowa river was first looked upon by the white man, he longed to possess it. We shall leave its description to some of those who saw it before it had been disfigured by the civilizing hand of man, and when the river itself was unvexed by bridges or dams, and the forests along its banks were still strangers to the woodman's ax. One of the earliest and most important books which made Iowa known to the world is a little book of fifty-three pages, with pasteboard covers, about three by six inches, written by Lieutenant Albert M. Lea, of Tennessee, a member of the United States Dragoons, and published by Henry S. Tanner, at Philadelphia, in 1836. This is an extremely rare book, there being probably not more than a dozen copies now in existence. The copy from which our extracts are made is the property of Mrs. J. L. Kent, of Port Louisa township, and was once owned by her father, William Fowler, who came to this county in 1836. and whose auto- graph is on the fly leaf of the book. It is in this book where the name of Iowa appears to have been first used in print in reference to this part of the country. it being called the "Iowa District." The title of the book is "Xotes on Wisconsin Territory, with a Map," but practically all of it is devoted to what is called the Iowa District. The author states that he had been employed in his professional duties for more than a year within the limits of the country referred to, and that during that time he had traveled extensively and had collected information from surveyors, traders, explorers and residents.

42 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

The information contained in the book may properly be dated as of the year [835, and the only towns mentioned as being in this part of what is now Iowa, were Keokuk, Madison and Burlington. The place which is now Muscatine was called "Kasey's," and it is said that a gentleman of that name intended laying out a town there, it being at the head of the Muscatine Slue. Lieutenant Lea seemed to think that the proximity of the swamps of Muscatine Island and of Sturgeon Bay would tend to create much disease at this point, but was of the opinion that it must be in future a place of considerable trade, "being the first place above Burlington on the west bank of the river where a town could be built." We quote what he says of our immediate vicinity. "There are several sites for towns spoken of about the mouth of the Iowa; but none of these places can have any importance : as I deem it certain that there can be no town of magnitude near the Mississippi, unless it be on the Mississippi, except in very peculiar cases, such as that of Galena in the lead mines."

After describing the geographical situation of the country and its climate and soil, the author says : "The general appearance of the country is one of great beauty. It may be represented as one grand rolling prairie, along one side of which flows the mightiest river in the world, and through which numerous navi- gable streams pursue their devious way toward the ocean. In every part of this whole district, beautiful rivers and creeks are to be found, whose transparent waters are perpetually renewed by the springs from which they flow. . . . All these rivers, creeks and lakes are skirted by woods, often several miles in width, affording shelter from intense cold or heat to the animals that may there take refuge from the contiguous prairies. These woods also afford the timber necessary for building houses, fences and boats. ... No part of the district is probably more than three miles from, good timber. . . . Taking this dis- trict all in all. for convenience of navigation, water, fuel and timber.; for richness of soil ; for beauty of appearance ; and for pleasantness of climate, it surpasses any portion of the United States with which I am acquainted. . .

"Could I present to the mind of the reader that view of this country that is now before my eyes, he would not deem my assertion unfounded. He would see the broad Mississippi with its ten thousand islands, flowing gently and linger- ingly along one entire side of this district, as if in regret at leaving so delightful a region ; he would see half a dozen navigable rivers taking their sources in dis- tant regions, and gradually accumulating their waters as they glide steadily along through this favored region to pay their tribute to the great 'Father of Waters ;' he would see innumerable creeks and rivulets meandering through rich pasturages, where now the domestic ox has taken the place of the untamed bison ; he would see here and there neat groves of oak, and elm, and walnut, half shading, half concealing beautiful little lakes, that mirror back their waving branches; he would see neat looking prairies of two or three miles in extent, and apparently enclosed by woods on all sides, and along the borders of which are ranged the neat hewed log cabins of the emigrants with their fields stretching far into the prairies, where their herds are luxuriating on the native grass ; he would see vil- lages springing up, as by magic, along the banks of the rivers, and even far in the interior; and he would see the swift moving steamboats, as they ply up and down the Mississippi to supply the wants of the settlers, to take awav their surplus

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 43

produce, or to bring an accession to this growing population, anxious to participate

in the enjoyment of nature's bounties, here so liberally dispensed The

agricultural productions consist chiefly of maize, wheat, rye, oats and potatoes. The large white corn of the south may be produced as far north as Rock Island, and yields from fifty to one hundred bushels per acre ; but the yellow flint corn grows well anywhere, and yields from forty to seventy-five bushels per acre ; the latter is the more certain crop. Wheat is produced with a facility unknown except in the west. I have known the sod of the prairie to be simply turned over, the seed harrowed in, and thirty bushels per acre to be harvested, r.ut the usual crop, after the first, is from twenty-five to forty bushels per acre with negligent farming. Oats yield usually from sixty to seventy bushels per acre, and seventy-five bushels have been cut at Du Baque. Potatoes grow abundantly and are famous throughout the west for their fine quality. . . .

"The population of the whole district, exclusive of Indians, was about sixteen thousand, at the end of 1835, a time little more than two years after the first settlement was made. During the year 1835 the chief part of this population arrived; and there is every indication of a vast accession during the year 1836. Indeed large portions of the states of Ohio, Indiana. Illinois, Kentucky and Mis- souri seem to be about to emigrate to this region. There are now here emigrants from all these states, and every other state in the Union, as well as many foreign- ers. Whole neighborhoods are moving from Indiana and Illinois to this land of promise. During a ride of one hundred and fifty miles through the district, in the month of January, 1836, I was surprised at the number of improvements then being made, for occupation as soon as the warm season should set in. The character of this population is such as is rarely to be found in our newly acquired territories. With very few exceptions, there is not a more orderly, industrious, active, painstaking population west of the Alleghanies than is this of the Iowa District. Those who have been accustomed to associate the name of squatter with the idea of idleness and recklessness, would be quite surprised to see the systematic manner in which everything is here conducted. For intelligence, I boldly assert that they are not surpassed, as a body, by an equal number of citizens of any country in the world."

Lieutenant Lea has this interesting statement concerning the government, or rather want of government, then existing. "From the 1st of June, 1833, to the 30th of Tune, 1834, the settlers in this district were without any municipal law- whatever. At the latter date congress passed a law attaching it to the Territory of Michigan, 'for judicial purposes;' and under that law, the legislative council of Michigan extended her laws over the district, dividing it into two counties, and providing for the regular administration of justice. But when Michigan deter- mined to assume her place as one of the states of the Union, she could no longer govern any district as a territory. Accordingly, she cast off what was then called Wisconsin, together with this district, directing them to form a government for themselves, and providing that her own laws should continue in force until super- seded by others. Under this provision, the authorities of Iowa District have continued to act; and all the ordinary local business has been regularly tran- sacted under the laws of Michigan, though the judge of the district court of the United States has refused to consider any cases of appeal taken to his court from

44 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

the west side of the Mississippi. It is a matter of some doubt, in fact, whether there be any. law at all among these people: but this question will soon be put at rest by the organization of the Territory of Wisconsin, within which the Iowa District is by law included."

Lieutenant Lea seems to have been especially enamored with the Iowa river and the country bordering upon it. He quotes Major Gordon, an army officer, who passed through this part of the country in August, 1835, as saying that "In point of beauty and fertility it is unsurpassed by any portion of the United States," and he himself has this to say of the Iowa river: "Iowa river has been usually much less esteemed than its advantages deserve. It is the largest tributary of the Mississippi above the Illinois, ami probably affords more water than that river. It takes its rise among the innumerable lakes in the high flat country which divides the waters which run northwest into the Saint Peter's river, from those which run southeast into the Mississippi. This high country is a continuation of that which, being intersected by the action of the current, overhangs the Mis- sissippi below Lake Pepin, and is there called 'The Highlands.' Having its source in these lakes, the river is perennially supplied with pure and limpid water, and as it meanders its way for three hundred miles to the Father of Waters, receiving large tributary streams, as it moves along through rich meadows, deep forests, pro- jecting cliffs, and sloping landscapes, it presents to the imagination the finest pic- ture on earth of a country prepared by Providence for the habitation of man."

But Lieutenant Lea was not the only one who was charmed with the beauties of the country, or whose praises were printed in advertisement of it. Many of the pioneers wrote back to their friends and relatives telling them what was here, and bidding them to come: and nearly every traveler wrote his home folks, or his home papers in the same vein. One of the most flowery descriptions that we have come across is contained in a little book written by Rev. James L. Scott, containing the journal of his missionary tour through Pennsylvania, Ohio. In- diana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan, and which on the title page is said to comprise "A concise description of different sections of country: health and climate ; inducements for emigration with the embarrassments ; the religious condition of the people; meetings connected with the mission, etc." As the destination of Rev. Scott was Fredonia, in this county, we will have occasion to refer to his book later on, his visit having cccurred in 1842. We refer to the book now for the purpose of giving the following description of the countrv as he saw it.

"Well, reader, follow a short time and we will survey the country. We walk through a dense forest of large trees, interspersed with the smaller productions of nature. The ground is covered with green grass, through which the lily, the pink, wild rose and almost every variety of flowers shoot and open their blossoms. We now and then rise a bluff, pass a ravine, cross a rippling brook, and sip from the cold spring the pure water to allay our thirst.

"Charmed by the beauties of nature, and the wonders of the forest, we breathe the sweet air, and are greeted by the warbling notes of the songsters of the wood, that hop from branch to branch, and pour forth their mingled strains upon the

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 45

listening group, until we emerge from this scene, and leaving the forest, stand upon an unbounded prairie.

"The prairie is sufficiently undulating to present a lively scene, and each undu- lation wafts the vision on with increased velocity and enchanting power.

"The green carpet, — never-to-be-described clusters of flowers, — the prairie hen, rising and falling into this and that bed, — the snipe, with his chattering bill, — the turkey buzzard, floating carelessly in the air, — the sand-hill crane strutting around. — the yelping wolf as he slips along from bank to bank, and add to this the enlivening notes of the feathered songsters, and who could help being enchanted ?"

Another graceful tribute to this country was paid by the Rev. Asa Turner, a noted pioneer preacher, and an early settler of Denmark, in Des Moines county, who explored the Black Hawk Purchase in 1836 as far up as Crow creek, in Scott county. His report to the Home Missionary officials in New York city was that he could find but one objection to the country, viz : "It is so beautiful, there might be an unwillingness to exchange it for the Paradise above." Father Turner was pastor of the first Congregational church in Iowa, and was the first regularly installed pastor of any denomination in the Territory of Iowa, and he devoted many years to educational and Christian work, before departing for the ''Para- dise above."

We find one army officer, however, Colonel George Crogan, inspector general of the army, who was neither in favor of an immediate settlement of the country, nor inclined to speak a good word for those who had already taken up claims. Colonel Crogan was sent out in the winter of 1835-6, and in his report, referring to a bill that had been introduced in congress to lay out a road between old Fort Des Moines and Fort Leavenworth, says : "There is now already too much traveling between the several forts for the quiet of the frontier ; and good roads would only increase the evil by opening the whole territory to the ravenous appetites of lawless vagabonds and more greedy land speculators. Already has this description of persons began to talk about the fine lands on the Ioway and Des Moines, and perhaps before two years are gone by they will be crying aloud for a new territory on that side of the Mississippi." Colonel Crogan may have had an erroneous opinion of the settlers as a class, but his fears as to the probable "crying aloud for a new territory" proved to be well founded.

Local government was first organized here by virtue of the act of the gover- nor and legislative council of Michigan, of September 6. 1834, entitled An Act to Lay Off and Organize Counties West of the Mississippi River. It provided that all of that district of the country which was attached to Michigan Territory by the act of congress, of June 28, 1834, and to which the Indians title had been extinguished and which was situated north of a line drawn due west from the lower end of Rock Island to the Missouri river, should constitute the county of Dubuque, and that that county should constitute a township called Julien. Sec- tion 2 provided that all that part of the district aforesaid, which was attached as ■aforesaid to the Territory of Michigan, and situated south of the line drawn west from the lower end of Rock Island, should constitute the county and be called Demoine, and that this county should constitute a township to be called Flint Hill.

46 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Provision was made for the establishment of a county court and court was to be held in Demoine county on the second Mondays in April and September. Permission was given to the inhabitants of said townships to hold an election for township officers on the first Monday in November following, the elections in the county of Demoine to be held at the seat of justice, the place of which was to be designated by the judges of the county court. The act itself was to take effect from and after the first day of October.

Officers were appointed for Des Moines county by Governor Mason, and that county was duly organized, but we know of nothing of consequence which happened while "we" were under the jurisdiction of Des Moines county.

CHAPTER VI.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS IN THE COUNTY — THE CENSUS OF DES MOINES COUNTY, WIS- CONSIN IN 1836 ESTABLISHMENT OF WISCONSIN TERRITORY CLAIM LAWS —

ESTABLISHMENT OF IOWA TERRITORY.

It is always a difficult matter to determine when the first settlements in a country were made and by whom they were made, and Louisa county is no excep- tion to the rule. For instance, in the Wapello Republican of October 26, 1867, is the following- item- "Last Sunday we saw the oldest log cabin in Louisa county. It stands near the Toolesboro and Grandview road, in Port Louisa township, and was built some thirty-five years ago."

By a little plain subtraction the date of the erection of this cabin is thus given at the year 1832. This is something like three years earlier than the date given by all the other authorities, as the date of the first permanent settlement here.

Lieutenant Albert M. Lea in an article in "Iowa Historical Records, Vol. 6," relates that during a very cold spell in the month of February, 1836, in making a trip overland along the river, he stopped at the "raw village" of Burlington one night, and next day reached the mouth of the Iowa river at dark. He says that he was refused shelter in the only house there at the time, which was occupied by a drinking crowd of men and women and that he was obliged to go up the nar- row, crooked river (the Iowa) on the ice, which was but four inches thick, and with three inches of snow on it, four miles to a snug cabin on the north side, where he arrived at nine o'clock at night. This cabin was undoubtedly the residence of Christopher Shuck, who is now, and has for many years been regarded as the first permanent settler of the county. This settlement was some- where not far from the farm upon which T. M. Parsons, familiarly known as "Thomps," spent the most of his days.

Of his reception at this cabin. Lieutenant Lea says : "They received me kindly, gave me supper and a sleep with the hired man, the other two beds being occupied by the squatter and wife and many children, grown daughters included, the cook stove being in the fourth comer, and yet we were all comfortable, and as gay at breakfast as if feasting at a wedding."

William L. Toole, who was himself among the earliest settlers in the county, in an article published in the "Annals of Iowa," for January, 1868, states that the first occupancy of Louisa county was in the year 1835, at and near the mouth of the Iowa river and near the ancient mounds and fort ; also near the Indian villages of Keokuk, Wapello and Black Hawk. He includes the name of Shuck among those of the very early settlers. He says : "Among the early settlers hereabouts we had the names of Harrison, Creighton. Deihl, Toole, McCleary,

47

48 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Thornton, Parsons, Benson and Shuck, and soon afterwards, Cook, Hale, Guest, Crow, Isett, Bell, Bird and Judge Springer."

The same date for the first settlement of the county is given by Francis Springer in his "Recollections" published in the "Annals," Third series, Vol. 2; and a similar statement was made by Colonel John Bird, also an early settler, in an address delivered at the first meeting of the Old Settlers' Association, in this county, which was held at Wapello, February 22, i860.

James Thornton, of Ashland, Oregon, now in his eighty-fifth year, in 1910 wrote an article concerning early times, which was published in the Muscatine Tournal, and is reproduced in the history of Muscatine county, published by the S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, of Chicago. This James Thornton was a son of Levi Thornton, who was one of the first representatives from Louisa and the adjoining counties, having been elected in 1838. In this article James Thornton says that his father and his two brothers. Err Thornton and Lot Thorn- ton, with their mother and sister, started from Lafayette, Indiana, in the spring of 1835, and came to New Boston, where they resided with a cousin named Jesse Willetts, and there planted some thirty acres of sod corn. After this they decided to take up claims in the Black Hawk Purchase, and in June of 1835, the three brothers, with two other men, whose names are not given, crossed the .Mississippi at the mouth of the Iowa. He says there was then a farmer there by the name of Shook and this is the only settler spoken of in the article as being located anywhere in this county. From there the Thornton party proceeded up the bluff, all locating in the vicinity of Whiskey Hollow, the claim taken up by Levi Thornton being now a part of the Dan Westbrook farm. The party then went up the river to Pine creek and took the steamer back to New Boston ; Pine creek, or Pine river, where it empties into the Mississippi, is the place called Iowa in Lieutenant Lea's book, and it will be interesting in this connection to note something of what he says about that locality: "Iowa. This is the name of a town to be laid out at the mouth of Pine river about three hundred and thirty miles above St. Louis. From this situation at the apex of a great bend in the Mississippi, it is central to a large district of country, and the near approach of the Iowa just back of it. brings all the settlements along a great part of that stream within a short distance of this place." Further on in the same article. Lieutenant Lea indicates that he expects Iowa to be made a county seat and probably the location of the future capital of the state of Iowa. In a very interesting little book called "Scraps of Muscatine History," by J. P. Walton, we find that he visited Err Thornton in 1891 and that at that time Err Thornton said the Thorntons first came over from New Boston in the spring of 1834 or 1835, but he was not certain which, and Mr. Walton states that he finds by history that it was in 1834, though he does not give his authority. We quote from an article prepared by Mr. Walton in July, 1891, as follows: "I have just made a trip across the river and called on Hon. Err Thornton, who lives some five miles southeast of here, in Drury township. His postoffice address is Foster. I was in company with John Holliday, an old acquaintance of Mr. Thornton. Both of them came from Tippecanoe county. Indiana, and were old acquaintances before coming here. Mr. Thornton was eighty-four years old yesterday, the 22d. John Holliday is eighty-five years old. Mr. Thornton says that himself, his brother Lot and several others came west and stopped near New- Boston.

< JYtx

'S

FACSIMILE OF WAPELLO SCRIP

HiTl-OR. l*NOX AND

>l NDATIOI*

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 49

Illinois, in the spring of 1834 or 1835, he is not certain which (we find hy other history that it was in 1834), and on the fifth day of June he and his brother Lot and three others, five in all, crossed the Mississippi river at New Bjston to look for land. They crossed over to Black Hawk, now Toolesboro, and started north. They were joined by a man by the name of Fisher, who belonged to a religious sect called Seceders, and had been over in Louisa county making claims. Acting as their pilot, he took them up about where Grandview now stands and said that they were then up to the north line of their claims. ( I think such a sect settled west of the Iowa river near Columbus City ; possibly some may have located east of the river). He said they could have all the land they wanted north of that place. Bidding them good-by he left them. While traveling north in the bottom in the rear of the present Port Louisa, they found a Mr. Kennedy and family, a brother of the present William Kennedy of Louisa county, who were camped for the day, boiling coffee, and they treated our party very kindly. They then traveled north to where they afterwards took their claims near Whis- key Hollow. Here was a fine bottom, with plenty of timber — an indispensable article for the pioneer settler. They concluded to investigate the extent of the timber, so they started up Whiskey Hollow and came out to the prairie some where near where the railroad goes out. It was then night. They cut some brush to make beds of and lighted a fire on an old white oak log. In the night Thornton was awakened by distant thunder. He aroused the others and they had but time to draw on their boots and get each to his tree before the storm came. While hugging to the lee of their trees, their fire blew to a great distance and they thought they had lost it all; (a very serious loss when it had to be lighted with flint and steel), but by good fortune some remained in a knot hole, from which they rebuilt another. As soon as it was light enough (about three o'clock) they started on their way. They traveled along the timber until they struck an Indian trail that led them down the bluff some five miles west of our city. Here they found an Indian's wickiup. The Indian, with his squaw and two or three pappooses. were planting corn."

The Indian name for corn was tomanock, and as the early settlers found a number of Indian cornfields when they came here, it will be well worth while to preserve in this connection an account of their way of planting corn as related by Mr. Walton in the book before referred to: "They made their hills three or four feet apart, without any regularity whatever, possibly using the same ground and the same hill that their predecessors had done for ages before. In the spring at planting time, they removed the weeds, usually carrying them out of the field, and dug up the top of the hill and planted their corn. In tilling thev would always scrape the earth up to the corn. This manner of tillage kept the hill identical for year after year. I have often thought that this system of growing corn, or these perpetual hills, gave rise to the term, 'hill of corn.' 1 think that the white man borrowed the term when he borrowed the corn. The corn thev raised was a variety of eight-rowed corn ; we knew it by the name of 'squaw corn' and raised it for several years for green corn. It was blue in color ; when ripe it was quite soft, and when crushed was white and flowery. It produced fairlv well : I think thirtv or forty bushels could have been gathered from an acre."

50 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

It may be, of course, that there were permanent settlements in this county in the year 1834 but this is certainly the earliest date which can be assigned for any permanent settlement, and there were likely not more than three or four such settlements within the entire limits of the county that vear. It is possible that the old cabin referred to by the Wapello Republican was erected bv the Mr. Kennedy spoken of by Err Thornton. This was John Kennedy, a brother of William Kennedy, the latter having been a very prominent figure in the early settlement of the county. He is said to have settled here in 1836.

The first government sale of land in this county was not till November, 1838, and for that reason we have no public land records regarding the ownership and transfer of the various tracts and claims prior to the winter of 1838. The earliest official record of any kind which gives the names of the early settlers in this part of the country is that of the census which was taken in July, 1836. This census was taken in pursuance of the act of congress organizing Wisconsin Territory and was made by Solomon Perkins, who styles himself "sheriff and censor, D. C. W. T.," Mr. Perkins being at that time sheriff of Des Moines county, Wisconsin Territory, of which Louisa county was then a part. There is nothing in the census as recorded to show where the various persons resided, except as to Burlington, and perhaps as to Van Buren county, it being described as in the "western part" of Des Moines county. This census shows the name of the head of each family and opposite the name of the head of the family is given the number of males under twenty-one and over twenty-one, the number of females under twenty-one and over twenty-one ; and the total number in the family is also carried out.

The following list appears by itself on page 5 of the census and was taken by Zadok C. Inghram, as assistant to Sheriff Perkins, and we give it with his spelling:

Under

Isaac Parsons 4

John H. Benson 2

William L. Toole

Orien Briggs 2

Christopher Shuck 4

Elias Keever

William Dunbar

James A. Campbell 1

James Magers

John McClung 3

John Ranken 1

James Erwin 2

John Reynolds 1

Thomas Kellow

Robert Childers 3

George Umphrey 5

Abraham McClary

Levi Thornton 4

Males		Females
2\ Over 1	1 Undei	21	Over 2	1 Total
1	1.		1	12
2			1	5
1				1
2	2		1	7
2	2		1	9
2	r		1	4
1	1		1	3
6	6		1	14
1	3		1	5
1	3		1	8
2			1	4
1	1		2	6
2	3		1	7
1	1			2
2	T		2	9
4	5		1	is
2	2		1	5
1	r		2	8

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

51

Under

Err Thornton

Silas Richardson

Nathaniel Parson 4

Samuel Shortridge 3

Thomas Starks 1

William McClaren 4

Joseph Crane

Thomas M. Crane

Samuel L. Crane

William Starks 1

Isaac Lathrop 1

John Cobb 1

Silas Lathrop 2

James W. Casey

John Yanetty

Thomas Burdett

Adison Reynolds

Eli Reynolds 1

James Davis

John W. Furgason 2

les	Females
Over 2	1 Under 21 Over 2	1 Tot
4		5
1	1 1	3
3	3 1	1 1
1	1 1	6
1	2 1	5
2	2 1	9
1	2 1	4
1		2
1	1 1	3
2	2 1	6
1	1 1	4
1	2 1	5
1	3 1	7
6		7
2	2 I	5
3		3
1	2 I	4
1		3
2		3
2		5

52

71

62

38

223

It appears from the census of Burlington that Zadok C. Inghram was then residing in Burlington.

The most if not all of the following names appear in that part of the census book as having been taken by J. & J. Inghram, assistants to Sheriff Perkins:

Males Females

Under 21 Over 21 Under 21 Over 21 Total

Reuben Westfall 3

David G. Blair

Thomas Blair

Allen Elliot

William Dupont

Reuben C. Mason 3

Phillip Mascle

Phillip B. Harrison

Joseph Derben

John Spence

Jacob Rinearson

Isaac Rinearson

Robert Williams

Wright Williams

Rolla Driskall

James Hatcher

Gideon B. Alexander

Thomas Stoddard

3	2	3		9
3	1	2		7
2 3	1 1 2 i	5		9 2 3 5
5	1 2		2	8 2
1	3 2		2	9 3
2	4	1		8
1	2	1		5
3	3	3		10
	1	1		3

Males			Females
21 Over 21	U	ndet	21	Over 2	i Total
i		3		i	9
i				2	3
I		i		I	8
2		i		I	4
2				I	4
5					5
		2		T	6
2		2		I	12
3		I		2	7
I		I			2
I		2		I	8
I		2		I	5

52 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Under

Joshua Swank 4

Westley Swank

William Milligan 5

David Russell

William Creighton I

Rufus P. Burlingame

Hannah Smith 3

Jeremiah Smith. Sr 7

Samuel Smith , 1

James C. Reed

James Crntchfield 4

Jackson Dolahite 1

In the list of names as taken by Zadok C. Inghram we find a number of very early settlers of Muscatine county and among the names thus taken by I. & J. Inghram. our information is that the Westfalls and the Blairs. possibly some others, lived about the vicinity of Northfield, which is now in Des Moines county, and some of the others lived in the neighborhood of Augusta at that time. This we know to be true of James Crutchfield, and it is possibly true of some of the others whose names appear in connection with his. \\'e have endeavored to give in a separate chapter an account of the earliest settlements that were made in various parts of the county.

Late in the year 1835 and early in 1836 there had been much agitation both on the east and west side of the Mississippi river for the formation of a new territory. The people found by the decisions of the courts that they were almost entirely without the pale of civilized government, the courts having decided in one or two early murder cases that they had no jurisdiction to try or punish such offenders. We find in Dr. Shambaugh's "History of the Constitutions." page -$, an extract from a memorial to congress adopted about this time by the territorial legislature of Michigan, as follows: "According to the decision of our federal court, the population west of the Mississippi are not within its jurisdiction, a decision which is presumed to be in accordance with the delegated power of the court and the acknowledged laws of the land; but that ten or twelve thousand freemen, citizens of the United States, living in its territory, should be unprotected in their lives and property, by its courts of civil and criminal jurisdiction, is an anomaly unparalled in the annals of republican legis- lation. The immediate attention of congress to this subject is of vital importance to the people west of the Mississippi."

In presenting this memorial in the senate. Senator Clayton, of Delaware, referred to a recent murder in Dubuque, where the murderers had been arrested but bad been discharged by the court. Judge David Trvin presiding, for lack of jurisdiction, and Mr. Clayton contended with much force that congress ought not to permit this state of things to exist. As a result of this agitation the territorial government of Wisconsin was created by an act approved April 20, 1836. The new territory of Wisconsin included the present state of Iowa and much other country not necessary to describe. It was to have a governor and a legislative assembly to consist of a council and house of representatives, the

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 53

council to be composed of thirteen members and the house, twenty-six members, it was provided that previous to the first election the governor should cause a census of the inhabitants of the several counties to be taken by the sheriffs thereof and returns made to the governor, and that the election should be held at such time and place and be conducted in such manner as the governor should direct. It was also provided that the governor should declare the number of members of the council and house of representatives to which each county should be en- titled, and the governor was required to declare who had been duly elected to the two houses, and to order new elections in cases where there was a tie. It was also provided that after the legislative assembly should meet, these various matters, including the apportionment of representation in the several counties, should be prescribed by law. The governor was empowered to nominate, and with the consent of the council, to appoint all judicial officers, justices of the peace, sheriffs and certain militia officers and all civil officers not provided for in the organic act, but it was provided that township and county officers should be elected by the people. The judicial power was vested in a supreme court, district courts, probate courts and in justices of the peace, the jurisdiction of the latter not to extend to disputes over land titles, or where the amount claimed exceeded $50.

Section 12 of this act is as follows : "And be it further enacted, That the inhabitants of the said territory shall be entitled to, and enjoy, all and singular the rights, privileges and advantages, granted and secured to the people of the territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio, by the articles of the compact contained in the ordinance for the government of the said territory, passed on the thirteenth day of July, one thousand seven hundred and eighty- seven ; and shall be subject to all the conditions and restrictions and prohibitions in said articles of compact imposed upon the people of the said territory. The said inhabitants shall also be entitled to all the rights, privileges and immunities, heretofore granted and secured to the territory of Michigan, and to its inhabitants, and the existing laws of the territory of Michigan shall be extended over said territory, so far as the same shall not be incompatible with the provisions of this act, subject, nevertheless, to be altered, modified, or repealed, by the governor and legislative assembly of the said territory of Wisconsin ; and further, the laws of the United States are hereby extended over, and shall be in force in, said territory, so far as the same, or any provisions thereof, may be applicable."

The census which was taken under this act, and to which we have before referred, showed the population of Demoine county to be 6,257, and Dubuque county, 4,274, while the population of the four Wisconsin counties east of the Mississippi river aggregated 11,687. Demoine county, of which this county was then a part, was much the most populous county in the territory and in the ap- portionment of members of the legislative assembly it became entitled to three members of the council and seven members of the house, and at the election on the second Monday in October, 1836, Arthur B. Inghram, Joseph B. Teas and Jeremiah Smith were elected to the council, and David R. Chance, John Box, Thomas Blair, Isaac Leffler, Warren L. Jenkins, Eli Reynolds and George W. Teas were elected to the house of representatives.

This immediate part of the country continued to be a part of Des Moines county until the establishment and organization of Louisa county. This, as we

54 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

shall see later, was done by act of the Wisconsin legislature, approved December 6, 1836.

Meanwhile the fame of the I Hack I lawk Purchase had been spreading. New settlers were constantly invading the "Iowa District." Some came in boats, by the Ohio and the Mississippi. < (thers a little later, came by the Great Lakes and across country : but thousands came in "prairie schooners" by the overland route. A few were well supplied with money, and some had a goodly number' of horses and cattle, but in most cases the team, wagon and contents, represented the sum total of the family's worldly possessions. Each brought with him, as his chief implements of state-craft, an axe and an augur, a froe and mallet, a plow, a log chain, and a shovel. The covered wagon afforded shelter by clay, and lodging by night, and the cooking was done on the ground, and their journey often required two months.

Occasionally there would be a family making their long trip with one ox, hitched in the thills of a two-wheeled cart, in which they carried a mat for a bed, and a few boxes. All were actuated by the same purpose. All were seek- ing new homes where the prairies promised the richest harvest, and where the forests furnished timber for the cabin, and fuel for the fire-place. They were seeking those "gardens of the wilderness, boundless and beautiful, untouched by the ruthless hand of man." and "smiling in all the freshness of primeval beauty."

These families came from many states, from the south and the north, from Virginia and Pennsylvania, from Ohio and Kentucky, from Tennessee and Indiana, from Xew England and New York. They came from all walks of life. They represented all shades of political opinion and religious belief. They exemplified all phases and conditions of American citizenship — the good, bad and indifferent. The new settler did not come as an alien, to a new sovereignty; he came as a citizen of the republic, seeking a new domicil in a land of abundant opportunity, and ample elbow room. At the outset the important question was how to obtain a title. True, the Indian title had been extinguished, but the which had not been surveyed, on penalty of forfeiture of all rights or claims, lands had not been surveyed by the government, nor thrown open to settle- and with the liability of being forcibly removed.

By the summer of 1838, Basil Bently had surveyed township 73 north, as far west as range 6, and William Lee D. Ewing had surveyed townships 74 and 75, as far west as range 7. In 1837. while these surveys were going on. Sur- veyor General Lytle. in his instructions to some of the surveyors in the field, said : "As it is probable that congress at its next session will pass a preemption law, you are instructed to tiote. in your surveying, the improvements upon the public lands, their situation, and the names of the claimants. This information is important the better to enable the land office to decide who are entitled to preemptions." We will see later how little the land office had to do with "deciding" these questions.

The first land sale at Burlington, began on November 19. 1838. and the only Louisa count)- lands sold at that time, were in township jt,. in range 4 and 5; at the next sale, October 26, 1839, township 74, range 3 was offered, and the re- mainder was not offered until March. 1840. But the pioneers had not waited for the land surveys, or the sales. The lands were there, the Indian's right to possession had ceased, and the settlers were ready to improve them, and did not

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 55

purpose to await the action of congress. They decided to make a few laws of their own, believing that they could do so fully as well, and with much less parliamentary circumlocution than their servants at Washington.

CLAIM LAWS.

Tt was a trying situation that confronted these men. Their occupancy of the land was in defiance of law, and they had no section numbers by which to identify or describe their possessions, nor any means of knowing where the lines would come. It is difficult for us, with our present day ideas of law. and our absolute reliance on record titles, to understand the anomalous and chaotic situation which confronted our forefathers, or to fully appreciate the bold and businesslike manner in which they met it. We shall find that they established a "government of the people, by the people, and for the people :" that, so far as the settlement extended, organizations were formed, and laws and rules were made and enforced. These settler-made laws, founded in necessity and based on justice, had higher sanction, and greater excuse for their existence, than many judge-made laws of a much later date. It is not probable that they had any fear that congress would ever permit, much less compel, them to be dis- turbed in their possessions. They knew that congress had, in several special cases, granted preemption rights to actual settlers, and they believed that a general preemption law would soon be passed. They also could place some reliance upon the precedent just then established by congress, by the act of Tuly 2, 1836, for laying off Fort Madison, Burlington, Dubuque, etc., which gave the preference in the sales of lots to all persons, "who shall have, by building or enclosure, actually occupied or improved any lot or lots in the said towns," etc.

Lieutenant Lea is an excellent authority on such matters, having traveled extensively throughout the Black Hawk Purchase during the days of its early settlement. He says : "In the District generally, the land titles are in an anomalous condition. The country was freed from its Indian occupants in 1833; hundreds immediately flocked in. each selecting such place as suited him best, and each respecting the premises of those who had preceded him. It is now clearly understood what improvement it takes to constitute a claim to any portion of these lands; and a claim to a farm, regularly established, is just as .good, for the time being, as if the occupant had the government patent for it. An emigrant comes into the country ; he looks around him, and finds a situation that pleases him; here, he says, 'I will make an improvement;' and forthwith he goes to work, builds a house, fences a piece of ground, plows and plants it ; he stakes out his half a section of land, one quarter section probably being wood- land, and the other quarter being prairie ; and then his home is secure from trespass by any one whatever, until the government shall think proper to prefer its claims. If he think proper to sell his claim, he is at perfect liberty to do so; and the purchaser succeeds to all the rights of the first settler. It is usual in such sales, for the purchaser to take a bond of the previous occupant, to trans- fer any right that the latter may acquire, in consequence of his previous occu- pancy, under the operation of the laws of the United States relative to occupant titles.

56 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

"Where towns are laid out, as it is not expected that each holder of a lot would he able to obtain a separate title from the government, it is arranged that the proprietor shall secure the fee simple title, in his own name, for the whole site, by the best means in his power ; and he gives his bond to make a title to the purchaser, whenever he shall have secured it to himself.

"The people of this whole District have entered into an agreement to sup- port each other in their claims, against any unjust action of the government, or against any attempt at improper speculation by capitalists at a distance. And those who know the potency of such leagues, will feel perfectly assured, that whatever is protected by this one. will be safe from molestation."

Few of the records of these early organizations have come to light, and it may well be doubted if many of them had written records other than the list of those entitled to claims in each congressional township. The records of two such organization-,, however, are in existence, one of them being a Johnson county association, and the other, a club having its headquarters at Fort Dodge ; and their constitution and by-laws show a very complete and elaborate system of rules and regulations. It may be asked by some what evidence there is of the existence of any such organizations or the enforcement of any such laws in Louisa county. There is ample evidence to this effect. In the first place, the statement of Lieutenant Lea seems to apply to the Iowa district generally. Also Mr. Newhal] in his "Sketches of Iowa" evidently means the same thing. He says: "In order to prevent unpleasant litigation and to keep up a spirit of har- mony amongst neighbors, and the better to protect them in their equitable rights of claim purchase, each township has its own organization generally throughout the territory, etc."

Mr. Xewhall then goes on to say that a called meeting is usually the first step and that at this meeting after a short preamble, resolutions are adopted and a register appointed, whose duty it is to record the name of each claimant, describing his particular claim, and that a bidder is also appointed, whose duty it shall be at the sale to bid off the land registered in the name of each respective claimant.

Concerning this kind of law, Mr. Newhall has this to say : "Although claim law is no law derived from the LInited States, or from the statute book of the territory, yet it nevertheless is the law made by and derived from the sovereigns themselves, and its mandates are imperative."

In his recollections, published in the "Annals" for January. 1897, Francis Springer, in speaking of the early courts of Louisa county refers to the claim courts in this way: "Referring to early courts, I may speak of a sort of pro- visional court organized by settlers in congressional townships of government lands prior to being first offered for sale — which would be at public auction, at a minimum price of $1.25 per acre. In order to settle claim controversies that might occur among the settlers, and to prevent adverse bidding at the land sales, a 'township claim committee' was appointed, composed of three capable men (of the settlers) whose duty it was to hear and decide upon all contested claims. The parties on due notice would appear before the committee (some- times with attorney) make their statements, present their proofs, when, after hearing the case, a decision would be made, and whichever way it went the losing party was bound by honor and the unwritten law of the township to

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acquiesce in it. He knew he must do this, or expect rough handling at the land sales from the settlers who would be present in force, one of them acting as township bidder for all, as the tracts were called by the register of the land office, giving the name of the settler entitled. The tracts were called and struck off with great rapidity. It would have been dangerous for any one (settler or outsider) to make a bid against the township bidder. This was well understood.*'

We may suppose that the same custom which prevailed in Des Moines county also prevailed in this county, and for that reason the statement of Dr. C. A. White, an earlv resident of Burlington, will be interesting. In an article on "Early Homes and Home Makers of Iowa," in the "Annals" for October, 1899, Dr. White, after referring to these settler organizations and their method of quit claiming lands before the government land sales, says: "The chief agency of the agreement for mutual protection and the execution of the provisional system of real-estate transfer was an organization called the Squatters' Club, which had its headquarters at Burlington. Every proved holder of a claim upon government land or a town lot was eligible to membership whether he was the original squatter upon his claim or had purchased it from one. The club made regulations which had all the force of laws because the members yielded willing obedience ; and it also acted as arbiter in such disputes as might arise between members concerning claims upon other than their already recorded parcels. The members were pledged to protect one another in the tenure of their approved claims, in the transfer of the same if they should desire to sell, and against overbidding at the approaching government sale. They also protected one an- other, as far as possible, in those cases of ruinously extortionate interest which was charged by the 'land sharks' to every poor squatter who had to borrow money to eke out the payment of government price for his land. But most of these cases could not be remedied, and the squatter lost his claim or sold it at a sacrifice to obtain enough money to start again as an emigrant and make a new claim farther west. I do not certainly know the date of organization of the club, but I am confident it was not later than early autumn of 1836. My father became a member of it in 1838, he having bought a squatter's claim to eighty acres of land near Burlington and a building lot in the town ; and many mem- bers of the club thus became personally known to me. He once admitted to me that the club was a secret society, and I have no doubt that their compact was con- firmed by solemn oath."

But it is not probable that the making of these claim laws was done by the settlers at first, nor that it could have been accomplished at all until shown to be necessary by the continued influx of newcomers and the numerous disputes and quarrels that occurred over claim locations. More than one tradition has come down to us of cabins destroyed and lives endangered in this county by these land quarrels ; but the particulars cannot be obtained with any certainty.

A noted encounter occurred just a few miles southwest of Wapello, near the sand mounds in Ed Jamison's field : this has sometimes been called the "Joy War" and was participated in by Angelo Driskall, the Joys, Gregorys, Lewins and some others. A few shots were fired, but no one seems to have been hurt. Mrs. McDill relates an interesting story of a supposed attempt at claim jump- ing in the early days. It seems that a Mr. Erwin took a liking to a piece of land in the William Kennedy neighborhood, and went over and plowed a furrow

58 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

around the part that he wanted in order to indicate that he laid claim to it. The land around which the furrow was plowed was a part of William Kennedy's claim. That night the settlers in the neighborhood, of whom Mrs. McDill's father. John Ronalds, 'was one. got together and went out and turned back the sod in the furrow which Mr. Erwin had made. It seems that this was notice enough to Mr. Erwin and he made no further claim to the land.

William L. Toole, in the "Annals" for January, 1868, in speaking of the country about Toolesboro and Wapello says: "In this location, as in others, great strife and contention was kept up here in those early days, through con- flicting interest in claims or the encroachments of unprincipled adventurers. Cabins were burned, torn down or unroofed, and the lives of persons frequently in jeopardy in consequence of these contentions for claims. At one time in 1836, contending parties numbering some twenty or thirty on each side met near here on a disputed piece of land, armed with guns, pistols, knives, etc., intending to decide the right of possession by a battle, the victors to be the possessors. Fortunately, however, a worthy and peaceable old gentleman, E. Hook, with some two or three other persons, friendly with both parties, appeared on the battleground, and by their influence prevented a commencement of the conflict, otherwise blood would have been shed on this occasion, and perhaps lives lost. Serious difficulties like this often occurred in regard to ownership of claims, and sometimes occurrences or cases in regard to claims occurred which were more amusing than serious. One I will state wherein a defeated party, through our claim law or regulations refused to leave or give possession of a cabin thereon, and the successful party with a few friends kindly took the opposing individual out of the cabin and carried him from the premises, notwithstanding his struggling, kicking and threatening, greatly to the amusement of the lookers-on, but he finally made a virtue of necessity and submitted to our claim laws, and was protected afterward himself by these claim laws in a claim diffi- culty. These difficulties continued more or less until the public sale of land by the government. Just previous to the public sale all disputes and difficulties concerning claims were amicably arranged, and the settlers entered into a league for common protection and opposition to speculators, then secured their claims and went on prospering and, making comfortable homes."

Lung before the land sales, hard times prevailed not only on the frontier but all over the country. This was about the time of the panic, brought on either by President Jackson or the banks, or both, when it was almost impossible to get gold or silver and when the banks were failing so fast that paper money was a dangerous commodity. It was even impossible for the government in June. 1837, to get specie with which to make the payments due the Sac and Fox Indians under the treaties made with them. And this fact caused great dis- satisfaction among the Indians and came very near leading to hostilities in the neighborhood of Burlington and in and about the forks of the Iowa and Cedar rivers. Rut among the earlv settlers times were much harder than anywhere else in the country, for the reason that, beginning a long time before the land -ales, every settler sacredly hoarded every dollar that he could get. so that he would be able to pay for his home when the time came to buy it. When the land sales came at Burlington, the settlers from all this part of the Black Hawk Purchase assembled there. We may suppose that nearly the entire male popu-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 59

lation of Louisa county took up their abode in Burlington for several days at that time. The hotels would not begin to hold the people. Bar rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, and even wagons, were converted into bedrooms to accommo- date the vast crowd of people gathered there to buy what they called their own homes.

As both Mr. Newhall anil Dr. White attended these land sales, we will let them describe them: Dr. White says of the land sales: "The crucial test of the squatters' compact was to come at the time of the government land sales, and it did come then. The club prepared an engrossed copy of its list of mem- bers with the descriptive formula of each member's claim opposite his name. They then appointed a public bidder who should, with this list in hand, in the presence of the settlers assembled at the sale, bid off each parcel or lot in the name of its recognized claimant the instant it was offered by the register. No other bids were to be allowed, and even the claimant himself, if he were present, was required to remain silent. I did not witness the sale which was held at I'.urlington in November, 1838, which was the first sale of public lands held in Iowa, but I was present at the second one held there a few months afterward, in 1839. The land office then occupied a one-story frame building, long since removed, which stood on the lot at the southeast corner of Third and Columbia streets. When the hour appointed for the sale arrived, Bernhart Henn, the register, took his stand at an open window facing the yard within which many settlers and citizens were assembled. The club's bidder had a small stand erected outside in full view of the assembly and close to the window where the register was standing, each having the list before him. Those lists tallied exactly with each other because they had been carefully compared before the day of sale arrived that there might be no confusion while the sale was in progress : a fact that showed the club and government officials to have been in good and proper accord. The sale began by the register offering a parcel of land, reciting its well understood descriptive formula, and the instant response of the club's bidder who. in a distinct voice, named the claimant and the minimum price. The register at once accepted the bid and the entry was checked off on both lists. As there was no waiting or invitation for higher bids the sales were rapidly and almost perfunctorily made. Still, it was possible for an outsider to get in a higher bid if he spoke quickly and was willing to take the risk of personal injury, which every one knew he would incur. I was listening to the monotonous progress of the sale when a violent commotion suddenly took place near me. Some one had dared to risk an overbid, but before it was distinctly uttered he was knocked down with hickory canes, which many of the settlers then carried, for his intention was suspected and they were ready for him. He was not killed, but his injuries were such that he could take no further action that day. and when he recovered he did not press his demand for government title to the land he coveted. Here was apparently a dilemma, but the case was promptly met by the register who ignored the outside bid and accepted that of the bidder appointed by the club. When his attention was afterward called to the matter he declared that he heard no other bid than that of the club's bidder, and his decision was final."

Mr. Newhall says: "The sale being announced from the land office, the township bidder stands near by with the register book in hand, each settler's

60 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

name attached to his respective quarter or half section, and thus he puts in the name on the whole township for each respective claimant. A thousand settlers are standing by, eagerly listening when their quarter shall be called off. Finally, when his quarter or half is reached and called off to him by the register, with an independent step he walks into the land office, opens the time worn saddle- bags and counts out the two hundred or four hundred dollars of silver or gold, takes a certificate from the government and goes away rejoicing."

At the time Wisconsin territory was organized it ought to have been, and perhaps was, evident that it would not be long before a division would become necessary. It was three or four times as large as the average of the states in the Union and was divided by the great Mississippi river. Besides this, the popu- lation of the territory was diverse in character and so scattered in locations as to make it almost certain that the purely local laws and customs suitable to one community would not be suitable to the others. The people of the Iowa District were enthusiastic for a division of Wisconsin territory from the very start, and the people of Louisa county did their part to agitate and carry out the project.

The first public meeting was held in Des Moines county in September, 1837. The committee on resolutions was composed of David Rorer, W. W. Chapman. William Morgan, Arthur 1!. Inghram and Dr. George W. Teas, and their report, which was adopted, urged the organization of a separate territorial government west of the Mississippi river as the only means of immediately and fully secur- ing to the citizens thereof the benefits and immunities of a government of laws.

These resolutions also referred to the efforts of Missouri to extend her northern boundary line. They also declared that settlers on public lands were entitled to the protection of the government in their homes and to the improve- ments made by them, and recommended that county meetings be held in the counties west of the Mississippi to appoint delegates to a convention to be held in Burlington in November following. The next county meeting was held at Dubuque, October 13, 1837; and on October 21, 1837. a public meeting of the citizens of Louisa county was held at Wapello, the proceedings of which were published in the Wisconsin Territorial Gazette and Burlington Advertiser, of November 2. 1837. but we copy them from the "Iowa Journal of History and Politics" for July. 101 1:

"At a large and respectable meeting of the people of Louisa county, held in the town of Wapello, on Saturday the 21st inst. in pursuance of previous notice, William Milligan, Esq., was called to the chair, and Z. C. Inghram appointed secretary. The object of the meeting was briefly and appropriately stated by James M. Clark, Esq. It was moved by Daniel Brewer, and seconded by 1. M. Clark, that a committee of five be appointed to draft resolutions expressive of the sense of the meeting: whereupon the chair appointed Daniel Brewer, John II. Benson, R. S. Searls, Isaac H. Rinearson and William H. R. Thomas said committee, who. after having retired for a short time, returned and presented the following resolutions, which, after due deliberation, w^ere unanimously adopted.

"1. Resolved. That we highly approve of the objects and motives of the •Territorial Convention, to be holden in Burlington; and that so far as lies in

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 61

our power we will heartily cooperate with our brethren in the adjoining- counties, in carrying these motives into effect.

"2. Resolved, That we deem it highly essential to the interest and conven- ience of our Territory that a division of the same take place, and that, in our opinion, the Mississippi suggests a very natural and proper line of separation.

"3. Resolved. That the deficiency of postoffices, the inequality of mails, and the apparent gross delinquencies of mail contractors in this western part of our Territory, are evils, which call loudly for redress, and that we would suggest to the Territorial Convention the propriety of using their influence and exer- tions to have these abuses ferreted out and corrected.

"4. Resolved, That we look upon the attempts of a portion of Missouri to encroach upon our Territory, as highly unjust and aggressive, and that however much we may regret that any difficulties should arise between us, we are de- termined to resist her encroachments by every just and honorable means.

"5. Resolved, That, as settlers upon these frontiers, enduring the privations and hardships always incident to the settling of new countries, we are justly entitled to be secured in the possession of our homes and improvements by the passage of a preemption law in our behalf.

"6. Resolved, That we would suggest to our own delegates, and the con- vention at large, the propriety of calling the attention of Congress to this sub- ject by memorial or otherwise.

"7. Resolved, That we deem this a fitting occasion to express our entire satisfaction with the present boundaries of our county, and look upon those who are endeavoring to effect a division of the same as acting contrary to the best interest of the county at large.

"The committee reported the following list of delegates, viz: William I.. Toole. Tames M. Clark. Esq.. and John J. Rinearson. who were chosen by the meeting.

"8. Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be published in the Burlington Gazette.

"William Milligan, Chairman. "Z. C. Inghkam, Secretary."

We mav note in passing, resolution No. 7, opposing any change in the bound- aries of the county as they then existed. This indicates that the movement to divide the county had already gained some force, and later on we will find that the county was despoiled of more than one-half of its territory.

On November 6, 1837, a convention of delegates from the portion of Wiscon- sin Territorv west of the Mississippi river, met in Burlington and was attended by delegates from the counties of Dubuque, Des Moines, Van Buren, Henry. Musquitine. Lee and Louisa. C. S. Jacobs was made president, J. M. Clark and W. H. Wallace, vice presidents, and J. W. Parker and J. R. Struthers, secre- taries. The convention was in session for three days. On the second day, after inviting the governor, members of the legislative council, judges and members of the bar of Burlington to take seats in the convention, three committees were appointed as follows: (1st). A committee of seven to draft a memorial to congress on the subject of the attempt of Missouri to extend her northern boundarv line. Mr. Toole was the Louisa county member of this committee.

62 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

(2d). A committee of six was appointed to prepare a memorial to the congress of the United States for the passage of a preemption act, Louisa county was not represented on this committee. (3d). A committee of seven was appointed to draft a memorial to congress in relation to the organization of a separate territorial government in that part of Wisconsin west of the Mississippi.

The report of the convention states that this committee consisted of Messrs. Rorer, Hastings. Caldwell, Myers, Claypool, Harris and Rinearson. the latter being the Louisa county member. This was undoubtedly John T- Rinearson, though his name is given as S. J. Rinearson in one place. These committees prepared memorials on the subjects assigned to them, each of which were unani- mously approved by the convention.

There is no better way for one to get a fair idea of the conditions then ex- isting west of the Mississippi river, and of the ability and character of the men who composed this assembly than by reading the memorials adopted. There is history in every line of them. The following is the memorial adopted by the ci invention in regard to the division of the territory:

"To the Honorable the Senate and I louse of Representatives of the United States, in Congress assembled:

"The memorial of a general Convention of Delegates, from the respective counties in the Territory of Wisconsin, west of the Mississippi river, convened at the capitol in Burlington, in said territory, November 5, 1837,

Respectfully represents:

"That the citizens of that part of the territory west of the Mississippi river, taking into consideration their remote and isolated position, and the vast extent of country included within the limits of the present territory, and the utter im- practicability of the same being governed as an entire whole, by the wisest and best administration of our municipal affairs, in such manner as to fully secure individual right and the right of property, as well as to maintain domestic tran- quility, and the good order of society, have by their respective representatives, convened in general convention as aforesaid, for the purpose of availing them- selves of their right of petition as free citizens, by representing their situation and wishes to your honorable body, and asking for the organization of a separate territorial government over that part of the territory west of the Mississippi river.

"Without, in the least, designing to question the official conduct of those in whose hands the fate of our infant territory has been confided, and in whose patriotism and wisdom we have the utmost confidence, your memorialists cannot refrain from the frank expression of their belief that, taking into consideration the geographical extent of her country, in connection with the probable popula- tion of western Wisconsin, perhaps no territory of the United States has been so much neglected by the parent government, so illy protected in the political and individual rights of her citizens.

"Western Wisconsin came into the possession of our government in June. 1833. Settlements were made, and crops grown, during the same season: and even then, at that early day. was the impulse given to the mighty throng of

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 63

emigration that has subsequently filled our lovely and desirable country with people, intelligence, wealth and enterprise. From that period until the present, being a little over four years, what has been the territory of western Wisconsin? Literally and practically, a large portion of the time without a government. With a population of thousands, she has remained ungoverned, and has been quietly left by the parent government to take care of herself, without the privilege on the one hand to provide a government of her own, and without any existing authority on the other to govern her.

"From June, 1833, until June, 1834, a period of one year, there was not even the shadow of government or law, in all western Wisconsin. In June, 1834, congress attached her to the then existing territory of Michigan, of which territory she nominally continued a part, until July, 1836, a period of little more than two years. During the whole of this time, the whole country west, sufficient of itself for a respectable state, was included in two counties, Du Buque and Des Moines. In each of these two counties there were holden, during the term of two years, two terms of a county court (a court of inferior jurisdiction), as the only sources of judicial relief up to the passage of the act of congress creating the territory of Wisconsin. That act took effect on the 3d day of July, 1836, and the first judicial relief afforded under that act, was at the April term fol- lowing, 1837, a period of nine months after its passage; subsequent to which time there has been a court holden in but one county in Western Wisconsin only. This, your memorialists are aware, has recently been owing to the unfortunate indisposition of the esteemed and meritorious judge of our district; but they are equally aware of the fact, that had western Wisconsin existed under a separate organization, we should have found relief in the services of other members of the judiciary, who are at present, in consequence of the great extent of our territory, and the small number of judges dispersed at too great a distance, and too constantly engaged in the discharge of the duties of their own districts, to be enabled to afford relief to other portions of the territory. Thus, with a population of not less than twenty-five thousand now, and of near half that number at the organization of the territory, it will appear that we have existed as a portion of an organized territory, for sixteen months, with but one term of court only.

"Your memorialists look upon those evils as growing exclusively out of the immense extent of country included within the present boundaries of the terri- tory, and express their conviction and belief, that nothing would so effectually remedy the evil as the organization of western Wisconsin into a separate terri- torial government. To this your memorialists conceive themselves entitled by principles of moral right — by the sacred obligation that rests upon their present government to protect them in the free enjoyment of their rights, until such time as they shall be permitted to provide protection for themselves ; as well as from the uniform practice and policy of the government in relation to other territories.

"The territory of Indiana, including the present states of Indiana, Illinois and Michigan, and also much of the eastern portion of the present territory of Wisconsin, was placed under one separate territorial government, in the year 1800, at a time when the population amounted to only five thousand, six hundred and forty, or thereabouts.

(54 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

"The territory of Arkansas was erected into a distinct territory, in 1820, with a population of about fourteen thousand. The territory of Illinois was established in 1809, being formed by dividing the Indiana territory. The exact population of Illinois territory at the time of her separation from Indiana, is not known to your memorialists, but the population in 1810, one year subsequent to that event, amounted to but eleven thousand, five hundred and one whites, and a few blacks — in all, to less than twelve thousand inhabitants.

"The territory of Michigan was formed in 1805, by again dividing the Indiana territory, of which until then, she composed a part. The population of .Michigan, at the time of her separation from Indiana, your memorialists have been unable to ascertain, but in the year 1810, a period of five years subsequent to her separate organization, her population amounted to but about four thou- sand, seven hundred and sixty; and in the year 1820, less than nine thousand — so that Michigan existed some fifteen years, as a distinct territory, with a population of less than half of western Wisconsin at present; and each of the above named territories, now composing so many proud and flourishing states, were created into separate territorial governments, with a much less population than that of western Wisconsin, and that, too, at a time with a national debt of millions. Your memorialists therefore pray for the organization of a separate territorial government over that part of the territory of Wisconsin west of the Mississippi river.*'

The legislative assembly of Wisconsin which was then in session in Burling- ton, immediately took this matter in hand, resulting in the adoption by it of a memorial to congress, strongly urging a division of the territory. Among other things this memorial states: "That owing to the great extent of country em- braced in the limits of Wisconsin territory, and that vast extent of territory being separated by a natural division (the Mississippi river), which renders the application of the same laws oppressive or unequal to one section or the other; the true policy of the two sections of the territory being as widely different as their locations ; and the impracticability of the officers of the general govern- ment to administer the laws; render it highly important in the opinion of your memorialists that that portion of the territory lying west of the Mississippi river be formed into a separate territorial government."

The memorial further stated that the territory of Wisconsin at that time contained fifty thousand inhabitants, at least one-half of whom resided on the west side of the Mississippi, and that the population of Wisconsin was increas- ing with a rapidity unparalleled in the history of the country. This memorial further states: "Without any intention of censuring the official conduct of the officers in whose hands the administration of our infant territory has been en- trusted . . . your memorialists would respectfully represent, that the west- ern portion of Wisconsin, with a population of twenty-five thousand souls, reaps but a small portion of the benefits ami advantages of the fostering care and protection of the mother government."

The memorials adopted by the territorial convention and the legislative assembly with petitions on the same subject, were referred to the appropriate committees in the house and senate. There was considerable opposition in con- gress to the formation of Iowa territory and it will be interesting to us to know

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HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 65

what some of the members of congress thought of the men who were then trying to build up this great commonwealth. Many questions seem to have entered into the matter other than those which relate to the necessities of the people who were asking for a new territory, such as the slavery extension, the annexation of Texas, and the preservation of the balance of power between the northern and western states on one hand and tbe southern states on the other. The most violent and virulent objector seems to have been Mr. Shepard of North Carolina. This is a fair sample of his speech : "Who are these that . . . pray for the establishment of a new territory? Individuals who have left their own homes and seized on the public land. . . . These men pounced on the choicest spots, cut down the timber, built houses, and cultivated the soil as if it were their own property. . . . Without tbe authority of law and in defiance of the government, they have taken possession of what belongs to the whole nation, and appropriated to a private use that which was intended for the public wel- fare. These are they who require a governor and council, judges, and marshals, when every act of their lives is contrary to justice, and every petition which they make is an evidence of their guilt and violence. We, who are insulted, whose authority is trampled under foot, are asked for new favors and privileges ; the guardians of the law are approached by its open contemners, and begged to erect these modest gentlemen into a dignified government. ... I cannot sanction their conduct: if they would not move peaceably, they should go at the point of the bayonet ; if they forget what is due to their country and their dis- tant fellow citizens, they ought to be punished The majesty of the laws should be vindicated."

Dr. Shambaugh, in his "Constitutions of Iowa," from which we have taken the foregoing and some other quotations on this subject, speaking of the debate in congress, says : "The spirited debate, which took place in the house of repre- sentatives, on the question of the establishment of the territorial government of Iowa disclosed the fact that the creation of a new territory at this time west of the Mississippi and north of Missouri was of more than local interest ; it was, indeed, an event in the larger history of America. Some few men were begin- ning to realize that the rapid settlement of the Iowa country was not an isolated provincial episode but the surface manifestation of a current that was of national depth. Far-sighted statesmen whose eyes were neither blinded by the lights of the moment nor yet always riveted upon that which for the time was most brilliant, saw that a plain, common looking pioneer farmer from across the Mississippi had come upon the stage of national politics and had already begun to play a role in the great drama of American democracy."

On June 12, 1838, President Martin Van Buren approved "An Act to Divide the Territory of Wisconsin and to Establish the Territorial Government of Iowa." This act, usually called The Organic Law of Iowa, was built upon the same general lines as the organic act of Wisconsin. Two amendments were made to it by congress on March 3, 1839, and these amendments, together with the act itself, are to be found in numerous state publications, and especially in the Code.

There is more than one opinion as to the origin of the name Iowa as applied to this territory, but the best opinion seems to be that the author of the name as thus applied is Lieutenant Albert M. Lea, and that the name was given, not

66 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

after the Wisconsin county of that name, but after our own beautiful river Iowa. In the first chapter of "Notes on Wisconsin," Lieutenant Lea, after speaking of the treaty of 1832, says: "General Scott was one of the commis- sioners appointed by the president to make this treaty ; hence, the district under review has been often called "Scott's Purchase,' and it is sometimes called the 'Black Hawk Purchase ;' but from the extent and beauty of the Iowa river, which runs centrally through the district and gives character to most of it, the name of that stream being euphoneous and appropriate, has been given to the district itself." It is believed that this is the first instance of this name being applied to this district in any published work.

In a brief article in the "Annals of Iowa," Third Series, Vol. 3, Page 641, Dr. Shambaugh states that for at least a century before Lieutenant Lea's pub- lication, the river that runs centrally through Iowa was generally indicated by the name of "Ioway." Back of this, however, are the very natural questions of how and whence did our beautiful river get its name? There are, of course, many explanations both as to the meaning of the word Iowa, and as to the particular place, at which and to which, it was first applied. As these explana- tions are all based upon tradition, we shall take it for granted that that tradition is best which is best located. Here is what William L. Toole says: "It is con- ceded that the name Iowa arose in this way: Many years ago, and before any Indians had fixed their homes in what is now Iowa, some Indians in search of a new home, encamped on the high bluff of the Iowa river near its mouth, and where those ancient mounds are, and being much pleased with the location and country around it — in their native dialect exclaimed — Iowa, Iowa, Iowa (beau- tiful, beautiful, beautiful), hence the name of Iowa to the river, and to those Indians, a remnant of which tribe are now in Kansas. Another company of Indians afterward, on the same errand, in search of a new home, ascending the Iowa river in their canoes, at some point that they were pleased with, made a similar exclamation, adding. 'This is the place for us!' And still another band or tribe, with similar exclamation, continued the name to the river, and so on by Black Hawk, Keokuk, Wapello and Poweshiek, each of whom had their vil- lages on the banks of the Iowa river, up to 1836. And the ancient mounds and fort on this high bluff of the Iowa near its mouth, show that this was a favorite location by the ancients who made these mounds." The most competent authori- ties say that the word "Iowa" means : "This is the place ;" some are of the opinion that the original word was "Kiowa," but they give it the same meaning as is given to the word "Iowa."

CHAPTER VII.

THE KEOKUK RESERVE TREATY CEDING IT TO THE UNITED STATES — DES MOINES

COUNTY DIVIDED LOUISA COUNTY ESTABLISHED ORIGIN OF NAME FIRST TERM

OF COURT — FIRST SHERIFF FIRST BOARD OF SUPERVISORS — CHANGE IN COUNTY

BOUNDARIES.

Henry Dodge, a hero of the Black Hawk war, was made governor of Wis- consin, and immediately began to interest himself in procuring further cessions of lands from the Indians. Already the settlers in this county had been looking with longing eyes on the fertile lands contained within the four hundred square miles set apart for Keokuk by the treaty of the Black Hawk Purchase made in 1832, and they were extremely anxious that the Indian title to that land should be obtained by the government, so that it could be thrown open to settlement. Indeed, many of the settlers had either taken up claims on the Keokuk reserve, regardless of the Indian title, or had bought Indian claims. This Keokuk reserve has been described in so many different publications, and in so many different ways, that there are many conflicting views extant as to its original shape ana its precise location.

Dr. Pickard, in his historical lecture upon the Indians of Iowa, has a map which gives it in one form ; Dr. Salter gives it in a different form, and both of these usually excellent authorities are wrong. From the fact that this reservation included a considerable part of the best land in this county, including also the sites of several of its important towns, we deemed it best to procure an accurate description of it.

It will be remembered that by the treaty of 1832, this reserve was to be marked off under the direction of the president of the United States. Accord- ingly, it was surveyed by "Charles De Ward, assistant surveyor for William Gordon, surveyor." The survey was commenced on April 30, 1835, and finished in October, 1835. Robert Neil, and Joseph Prepe were chain carriers; Etienne Tourville was axman, Francis Roy was flagman, and Michael Dennis, Coles Olivier and Narcis Blaycamp were the camp keepers and hunters. The shape and location of this reserve is shown on the map of Louisa county as it was first established, which appears elsewhere in this work. This map was prepared bv W. S. Kremer, county surveyor of Louisa county, and according to his judgment the southeast corner of the Keokuk reserve was situated about fifty-two rods (13 chains) south of the quarter post between sections 16 and 21, township -$ north, range 2 west, and extended north twenty-nine degrees west forty-two miles and thirty chains to the Indian boundary line. It extended thence south- west along the Indian boundary line nine miles and thirty-seven and seventeen hundredths chains, thence south 29 degrees east 42 miles and 30 chains, to a

67

68 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

point a little south of latitude 41 degrees: thence north 28 degrees east to the place of beginning. The starting point was on the north side of the Iowa river and the line seems to have crossed the Iowa river almost exactly at the mouth of Smith creek. Keokuk's principal village is noted as being on the south or southwest side of the Iowa, a little north of the mouth of Smith creek and quite a little distance below Otter creek. Wapello's village seems to be pretty near where Wapello now is. These are the only two Indian villages shown in Louisa county.

The information we give in regard to the Keokuk reserve is derived from a certified copy of the original blue print, and a portion of the field notes, and was furnished by the commissioner of Indian affairs. On this blue print the Iowa river is called "Iowa or Lecotosikay" river, the Cedar is called "Red Cedar, or Mesquawaquay river," while our Long creek has the name ofl'acan- anico river, and Goose creek is compelled to struggle along under the name of Colaquatuckico.

The Keokuk reserve was ceded to the United States by a treaty made on the right bank of the Mississippi river, opposite Rock Island, September 28, 1836. Henry Dodge was the commissioner on the part of the United States. There was a very large representation of the Sac and Fox Indians present and this treaty was signed by several Indian chiefs, including "Wapella," "Powa- sheek," Keokuck ami Pashapahoo. This treaty refers to the fact that in the former treaty (1832) a reservation of four hundred sections of land was made to the Sac and Fox Indians to be laid off under the direction of the president of the United States, and states that it had been so laid off.

Tames Wr. Grimes, afterwards governor and United States senator, acted as Governor Dodge's secretary in negotiating this treaty, and the treaty was witnessed by Antoine LeClaire, the noted interpreter, P. R. Chouteau, Jr., George Davenport, George Catlin and L. D. Stockton, afterward one of the justices of the Iowa supreme court; also by Jeremiah Smith, Jr., who was one of the original proprietors of Lower Wapello.

It provided for the payment, to and for the Indians, of various sums aggre- gating about $10,5,000. and this made the lands cost the government a little over seventy-five cents per acre. As this treaty has an important bearing on Louisa county's history, we give the account of it as found in "Iowa Historical Record." Vol. 8, as follows: "The two bands of Foxes (Wapello's and Poweshiek's) were camped on the west side of the Mississippi on the slope of the bluffs oppo- site Rock Island. At a distance the encampment looked picturesque, as the Indians arrayed in their green or red blankets flitted about the bulrush and bark tents, their horses browsing on the bluff tops. The scene appeared like a picture of an Arab encampment. A nearer view showed the dirty paraphernalia of skinning, jerking meat, and cooking, around the tents.

"Half a mile above, nearer the river bank, on a kind of promontory, were the more neatly arranged tents of the Sacs, in the form of a crescent. Above them, fronting the hollow of the crescent, was the council lodge. At one end were Governor Dodge, Captain Boone, Lieutenant Lea, General Street and the traders: on the east side were the tawny warriors decked in their finery, the mass of them standing, the chiefs and headmen sitting in front, all listening to the

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 69

propositions of the governor, and as each sentence was interpreted, signifying their approbation by the exclamation, 'Hugh !'

"Wapello commands respect amid his apparent indifference and air of non- chalance. Appanoose is a young looking fellow, talented but dissipated. Pasha- popo, with his uncombed, unshorn hair, and his fierce countenance, is rendered hideous by smearing it fantastically with black.

"Keokuk is of noble countenance, fine contour, tall and portly; his chest, shoulders and right arm bare, save a necklace of bears' claws, and a large snake skin encircling and pendant from his right arm. In the left hand he sported a fine Pongee silk handkerchief. The snake skin was lined with some rich ma- terial, and had little bells attached to it, giving a tinkling sound at every gesture that added grace and impressiveness to his elocution. He advanced with stately step ; the trappings of his white buckskin leggings set off his finely formed and comparatively small foot to advantage. He advanced to the governor's stand and shook hands with him. Then, falling back half a dozen steps, with eves fixed on the governor, he began his speech. His voice rang clear as a trumpet. Fluent in words, he was energetic and graceful in action."

George Catlin in his account of the treaty gives an incident which shows how rapidly the county had been settling up and the encroachments that had already been made upon the Indian lands. "After the treaty was signed and witnessed, the governor addressed a sensible talk to the chiefs and braves and ended by requesting them to move their families and property from this tract within a month, to make room for the whites. The chiefs and braves broke into a hearty laugh, which one of them explained: 'My father, we have to laugh — we require no time to move — we have left our lands already and sold our wigwams to chemokemons (white men) — some for one hundred, some for two hundred dol- lars, before we came to this treaty. There are already four hundred chemoke- mons on the land and several hundred more on their way, moving in : and three days before we came away one chemokemon sold his wigwam to another che- mokemon for $2,000, to build a great town.' "

It is evident that the "great town" here referred to was none other than Wapello, because that was the only prospective town on the Keokuk reserve at that time. In accordance with this treaty, the Indians left the country very soon, settling on the Des Moines river, and this removed the last obstacle to the organization of county government.

On the 7th of December. 1836, Governor Henry Dodge approved an act of the territorial legislature of Wisconsin, entitled "An Act Dividing the Countv of Des Moines into Several Xew Counties." This act was passed before the land surveys were completed through the county and possibly before the sur- veyors had reached this county, as the surveys of land in Iowa began at the south, and hence the boundaries given for the various counties are natural objects instead of range and township lines.

In order to understand the boundaries of Louisa countv as then given, it will be necessary to read the sections of the act preceding the one in which Louisa countv is named, and we therefore insert the first five sections of the act.

"Section 1. Be it enacted by the council and house of representatives of the territory of Wisconsin, That the country included within the following limits, to wit: beginning at the most southern outlet of Skunk river, on the Mississippi;

70 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

thence a northern direction passing through the grove on the head of the northern branch of Lost Creek, ana thence to a point corresponding with the range line dividing range seven and eight, and thence south with said line to the Des Moines river; thence down the middle of the same to the Mississippi, and thence up the Mississippi to the place of beginning, be and the same is hereby set off into a separate county, by the name of Lee.

"Section 2. Be it further enacted, That the country included within the fol- lowing boundaries, to wit: beginning at the northwest corner of Lee; thence south with the west line of said county to the river Des Moines ; thence up the same to where the Missouri line strikes the same : thence west with the said Missouri line to the Indian boundary line; thence north with the said boundary line twenty-four miles ; thence east to the beginning ; be and the same is hereby set off into a separate county, by the name of Wan Buren.

"Section 3. Be it further enacted. That the country included within the following limits, to wit : beginning on the Mississippi river, at the northeast corner of Lee; thence up said river to a point fifteen miles above the town of Burlington, on the bank of said river, thence on a westerly direction to a point on the dividing ridge between the Iowa river and Flint creek, being twenty miles on a due west line from the Mississippi river; thence a southerly direction, so as to intersect the northern boundary line of the county of Lee. at a point twenty miles on a straight line from the Mississippi river; thence ea^t with the northerly line of the said county of Lee to the beginning, be and the same is hereby set off into a separate county, by the name of Des Moines.

"Section 4. Be it further enacted. That the country included within the following limits, to wit: beginning at the southwest corner of Des Moines; thence northwest with the line of said county of Van Buren to the Indian boundary line : thence north with the said boundary line twenty-four miles ; thence south- east to the northwest corner of the county of Des Moines ; thence south with the west line of the county of Des Moines to the beginning, be and the same is hereby set off into a separate county, by the name of Henry.

"Section 5. Be it further enacted. That the country included within the following limits: beginning at the Mississippi river, at the northeast corner of Des Moines ; thence up said river twelve miles above the mouth of Iowa ; thence west to the Indian boundary line ; thence with said boundary line, to the north- west corner of Henry and with the line of the same, to the northwest corner of the county of Des Moines : thence east with the line of the same county of Des Moines to the beginning, be and the same is hereby set off into a separate county, by the name of Louisa." The map here given shows the original extent of Louisa county ; it included nearly a fourth of Des Moines county, the south- eastern part of Washington county, including the present site of the city of Washington; and also a considerable part of Henry county."

There has been some controversy in times past and probably will be in the future as to the origin of the name of Louisa county. Tuttle in his "History of Iowa," says : that Louisa county was named for a young woman who shot a man. Judge Charles Negus, formerly of Fairfield, in the "Annals of Iowa," for April, 1869, says the county was named for Louisa Marsey. Other authori- ties, including Flickinger and B. F. Gue state that the county was named for

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Louisa Massey, an early resident of Dubuque. This is the view taken in the "Iowa Historical and Comparative Census" published in 1880.

Dr. John Bell, Jr., who was always ready, but not always prepared, to make a speech, delivered an address before the Louisa County Pioneer Settlers' Asso- ciation, February 22, 1861, in which he has this to say in regard to the origin of the name: "The origin of the name Louisa is quite a romance; it occurred some way thus: Two brothers came to this territory in an early day, and after ex- ploring the country for some time, finally concluded to stop and prospect for lead in the neighborhood of Dubuque. After working some time, one of them, on going into an old digging that had been abandoned, struck a fine lead. This excited the cupidity of a man named Brown, who immediately laid claim to the old diggings. High words ensued, and ended in Brown killing Marcy on the spot. He died, leaving two small children. Louisa Marcy, his sister, hearing of the death of her brother, resolved to bring his murderer to punishment. She came, and on being told that there was no law to punish any one for the crime of murder, resolved to avenge her brother's death. Arming herself and taking one of the children, she followed Brown, and ascertaining where he was to be found, met him and demanded if his name was Brown, and if he had killed Marcy ; on his answering in the affirmative, she immediately drew a loaded pistol, saying, 'Wretch ! I am my brother's avenger ; thou shalt die !' Before the last sentence was completed she fired, killing him almost instantly. This heroic deed occurred about the time the commissioners were engaged running the boundaries of this county ; and in admiration of the brave girl's courage, they called this county Louisa. Her subsequent history was as follows : A wealthy merchant of St. Louis, hearing of the circumstance, and in admiration of the girl's courage and bravery, sought her out, made her acquaintance, and married her, and took her to St. Louis, where the city gave her a public ovation. She died a few years after, loved and esteemed by all who knew her. Such is the circumstance that gave our county its name."

This address was published in pamphlet form with other proceedings of the association and was quite widely circulated at that time, and it has long been the opinion of the writer that this address, notwithstanding the mistake in the name of Massey, and in giving Brown instead of Smith, and in having the man killed instantly — notwithstanding all these mistakes, that this was the main authority for the Louisa Massey story, which seems to have become so prevalent. Quite general local circulation to this story was given in a somewhat different form by an old settler of the county, Obadiah Garrison, frequently called "the Major," who gave the name of the young lady correctly as Louisa Massey, but who with a number of other embellishments added the statement that she was tried for the murder at the mouth of the Iowa river, and that he was on the jury which acquitted her. The nearest we have come to anything that seems like fair authority for the Louisa Massey story concerning the origin of the name of this county is found in the writings of Lucius H. Langworthy, of Dubuque, in the "Iowa Journal of History and Politics" for July, 1910, on Page 386, which is as follows : "Woodbury Massey was the eldest of several brothers, and a sister, all left orphans in early life. Himself and family were members and the chief founders of the first Methodist church erected in this city ; a man of fine education; polite and amiable in his disposition: one of our first merchants and

72 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

possessing a large share of popular favor, lie was enterprising in business and upright in all his dealings. Had he lived, he would no doubt have proved a main pillar and support in our young community- But in an evil hour he became the purchaser of a lot and lode, called the Irish lot near where Mr. McKenzie now lives.

"It appears that a Mr. Smith, father and son, had some claim on this lot and lode. They were the exact opposite to Mr. Massey in character and disposition. A suit before a magistrate grew out of this claim and the jury decided the prop- erty to belong to -Mr. Massey. It being a case of forcible entry and detainer, the sheriff, as was his duty, went with the latter to put him again in possession of the premises.

"When they arrived upon the ground, the two Smiths, being secreted among the diggings, rose up suddenly, and firing their guns in quick succession, Mr. Mas- sev was shot through the heart. His family living near by, saw him fall, thus early cut down in the prime of his life and usefulness, a victim to the unsettled state of the times and the ungoverned passions of turbulent men. The perpetrators of this deed were arrested and held in confinement until the session of the cir- cuit court at Mineral Point. Judge Irvin presiding upon the trial. The counsel for the defense objected to the jurisdiction of the court, which was sustained by the judge and accordingly the prisoners were discharged and let loose upon society. They, however, left this part of the country for a time.

"One of the younger brothers of Mr. Massey, highly exasperated by this transaction that no trial could be obtained for such offenders, had determined it seems, that should the elder Smith ever come in his way he would take the pun- ishment for the murder of his brother into his own hands. One day. while sit- ting in his shop at Galena, he chanced to see Smith walking the public streets of the place when instantly snatching a pistol and hastening in the direction, he fired upon him with fatal aim. Thus Smith paid the forfeit of his life by intrud- ing again among the friends of the murdered man, and in the community which had witnessed the scenes of his violence.

"For this act of the younger brother there seems to have been the broadest charity manifested. He was never tried, or even arrestee, and still lives in the country, a quiet man, and greatly respected by all who knew him.

"The death of the father of course, soon brought the younger Smith to the mines. It was understood privately that he determined to shoot one or the other of the surviving brothers at the very first opportunity. He was known to be an excellent shot with a pistol, of imperious disposition and rash temper. These rumors finally reached the ears of the fair haired, blue eyed sister, who was thus made to believe that he would carry his threats into execution. She was just verging into womanhood, with fresh susceptibilities and all of her deep affections awakened by the surrounding difficulties of the family. One day, without consulting others, she determined by a wild and daring adventure, to cut off all chances of danger in that direction. Disguising herself for the occa- sion and taking a lad along to point out the person she sought, having never seen him herself, she went into the street, Passing a store by the wayside, the boy saw Smith and designated him from the other gentlemen in the room by his clothing. On seeing him thus surrounded by other men, one would suppose that her nerves would lose their wonted firmness. He was well armed and resolute

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 73

in character, this she knew ; yet stepping in amidst them all, in a voice tremulous with emotion and ominous in its tones, she exclaimed, 'If you are Smith,, defend yourself.' In an instant, as he arose, she pointed a pistol at his breast and fired ; he fell, and she retired as suddenly as she appeared. It was all done so quickly and seemed so awful that the spectators stood bewildered at the tragical scene until it was too late to prevent the disaster.

"It so happened that Mr. Smith had at the time a large wallet filled with papers in his breast pocket. The ball striking about its center, did not of course penetrate all of the folded leaves, and thus providentially his life was spared.

"Smith soon recovering from the stunning effects, rushed into the street to meet his assailant ; but she had fled and found shelter at the house of Mr. John- son, a substantial merchant of the town, and was subsequently sent away by her friends here, to some relatives in Illinois, where she was afterward married to a Mr. Williamson, formerly of this place. Her name, Louisa, has been given to one of the counties of our state. Smith lived several years, but the wounds probably hastened his death. She is also dead, and it is to be hoped that God's mercy has followed them beyond earth's rude strifes and that they dwell in peace in a purer and better world."

The lecture from which the foregoing is taken, was delivered at Dubuque, in December, 1854, and is the first recorded claim that we have been able to find of this alleged origin of the name. We have also found in Vol. 15 of the "Wis- consin Historical Collections." in the journal of Alfred Brunson, D. D., an inter- esting reference to the Massey story. Mr. Branson's article is entitled "A Meth- odist Circuit Rider's Horseback Tour from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin, 1835." His "tour" seems to have begun on September 5, 1835, and we quote as follows:

"November 12, left Galena and rode to Dubuque and held quarterly meet- ing for this mission on the 14th and 15. . . . The lands were not in the market and the only claim to it consisted of occupancy and consequently conflict- ing claims for valuable mineral grounds frequently occurred, which were oftener settled by might of the parties than the decisions of law. A few weeks before my arrival at this place one (of) our valuable brethren was shot dead at a mineral hole, while contending for his right, by two men, father and son, named Smith. They were committed to prison and indicted for the murder, the father as prin- cipal and the son as the accessory, but ... it was found the courts had no jurisdiction over the case and the prisoners were discharged. The people, how- ever, feeling indignant at the offender, called a public meeting to try Smith in the true democratic form, and but for his escape would have hung him, as they had done one of a similar character before. Smith, however, returned to the mines in the ensuing winter and a brother of Massey who was murdered shot him down in the streets in Galena in open day and then made his escape, no one caring to pursue him under the circumstances of the case. Not long after, the younger Smith appeared in Dubuque and a maiden sister of Massey shot him in a store and would have killed him, but for his pocketbook. against which the ball of her pistol struck. Shooting and dirking were so common, however, that little notice was taken of it, unless death ensued ; nor even then, if it was con- sidered justifiable homicide. Miss Massey, therefore, was not molested, but soon after left the country."

74 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Unless this incident excited more interest in Belmont in 1830, than it seems to have done in Dubuque at the time it occurred, it .may well be doubted that it hail any thing to do with the naming of the county.

It has always been the understanding of the writer — an understanding which he gained from Francis Springer, John Hale and others, that the name was given to the county in honor of Louisa county, Virginia. One authority for this state- ment was William L. Toole, who said in the "Annals of Iowa," Vol. f>. No. 1. in referring to the act of the Wisconsin legislature, establishing Louisa county that, "said legislature gave the name of Louisa to our county, through the influ- ence of members thereof, who were formerly of Virginia, in honor of Louisa county. Virginia, and contrary to the wishes of or consultation with the citizens thereof, who would have preferred the name id' Washington, Jefferson or Mon- roe. Some agitated the proposition of a change of name then, and some are still dissatisfied with the name, and desirous of a change which may yet get into shape and the subject be properly brought before the legislature." It is true that William L. Toole was somewhat advanced in years when he wrote the article in the "Annals" but it is also a fact that he was one of the verv best posted men to be found anywhere in regard to the old settlers of Louisa county. He came to the county certainly as early as 1836 and was a member of the first board of county commissioners, and was a member of the territorial legislature in 1838-9. Mr. Toole was also a member of the first constitutional convention of Iowa Territory, held in 1844. Through the courtesy of Dr. Reuben G. Thwaites, we are enabled to present herewith the records of the action of the territorial legislature of Wisconsin, on the bill which named Louisa county, as shown by its journals: "October 28. 1836, Mr. Chance presented a petition from the inhabi- tants of Des Moines county, praying for a division of the county. Mr. Jenkins presented a similar petition, but both were laid upon the table.

"November 17. 1836, Mr. Leffler reported a bill from the select committee chosen therefore, dividing the county of Des Moines into six new counties. The names of the select committee are nowhere given in the record, but by analogy with the other committees for similar purposes, I take it that it was composed of the entire delegation from Des Moines county. Mr. Teas presented a minority report, and Mr. Box moved the majority report be rejected. Mr. Leffler moved that the order to reject be laid on the table.

"November 18. 1836, this matter was taken up and Mr. Leffler moved that the motion to reject the majority report be considered ; it was so done and decided in the negative.

"November 30, 1836, on motion of Mr. Leffler the house went into a com- mittee of the whole to consider the bill, which when the committee rose, was reported with amendments. These were adopted. Mr. Teas moved to lav the bill upon the table, but his motion was lost. This bill then passed through its three readings, was approved (Without discussion) by the council and signed December 7th, by the executive." It will appear from this record that Isaac Leffler fathered the bill in the house, and we are informed that Arthur B. Inghram looked after the bill in its passage through the council. It is said that Isaac Leffler was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, but that he served for a number of years in the Virginia legislature and was also at one time a representa-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 75

tive in congress from that state, and if this should be true, it would add some weight to the story as given by Mr. Toole.

At all events the county was named Louisa and started to do business under that name. The beginning of things in an official way in Louisa county, Wiscon- sin Territory, seems to have been on January 17, 1837, when the first town plat of "Wapellow" was recorded by Zadok C. Inghram, "clerk and recorder of Louisa county, Wisconsin Territory." As we have already seen, Mr. Inghram lived in Burlington in 1836. Among his other accomplishments he was a school teacher, and taught the first school held in Des Moines county in a house in Bur- lington, belonging to W. R. Ross, who was the first postmaster in Burlington. The first record book is a unique affair and consists of seven double sheets of foolscap, sewed together in the middle, and, beginning on the side, which shows the plat of "Wapellow," there are a number of instruments recorded up to and including page 12. One is the appointment by Samuel Smith, sheriff, of Will- iam H. R. Thomas as under sheriff, and is dated April 10, 1837. Another is the appointment by Martin Harless, sheriff, of Cavil M. McDaniel. as under sheriff, and this is dated February 9, 1838.

Another instrument is the official bond of Cavil M. McDaniel, as sheriff, dated February 21, 1839, and signed by Jeremiah Smith, J. Wilson Isett, A. J. Bevins, R. S. Searl and Riley Mallory, in the sum of $5,000. and recites that McDaniel had been appointed sheriff on January 18th last.

The remainder of the twelve pages before referred to, is taken up with the record of various official oaths, principally justices of the peace, among them being T. Ronalds, Jacob Mintun, Hiram Smith, Christopher Shuck, William Milli- ean Maxamilian Eastwood, and Richard W. Gwin.

There is one curious instrument found recorded here as follows :

"Be it remembered that on the 15th of September, 1830, we the Elders of the Church of God at Union meeting house Nicolas county, Kentucky, solemnly set apart James R. Ross by prayer and laying on of hands, to the office of and Elder in the Church, we therefore recommend him to favor and respect. "Given under our hands &c.

"Abraham Shrout "Peter Hon."

To this is appended the certificate of Clerk Inghram, stating that the fore- going "certificate of ordination" was filed for record on the 1 Ith of June, 1838, and duly recorded.

The next official business of which we have any record is that of the first term of the district court ever held in this county. This record occupies twelve pages of the record book to which we have just referred, and we give the record of that term of court just as it is found in this little book:

At a District Court for the County of Louisa begun and held at Wapello on Thursday the 20th day of April A. D., 1837. Present :

The. Hon/c David Irvin Associate Judge of the Supreme Court and Judge of the 2nd Judicial District.

W. W. Chapman, District Atto. U. S.

76 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

The Court being satisfied of the character and qualifications of Zadok C Inghram doth appoint him Clerk of this Court, and thereupon the said Zadok C Inghram with William Milligan and Isaac H Rinearson his securities came into Court and entered into bond in the penalty of two thousand dollars condi- tioned according to law — and the said Zadok C Inghram took and subscribed the oath of office.

( SEAL )

Ordered that the seal of which the foregoing is the impression be the tem- porary seal of this Court

Ordered that James W Woods be appointed District Attorney for Louisa County Pro Tern.

On motion of William W Chapman District Attorney of the United States it is ordered by the Court that a venire facias for a grand jury on behalf of the United States issue returnable forthwith.

The Marshall returned into Court the venire facias with the following persons summoned as grand jurors viz Phillip B Harrison Isaac H Rinearson C A Ballard John Millard James Gordon Thomas England Jeremiah Smith Martin Harless Reuben C Mason Phillip Maskel Henry Slaughter Thomas Stoddard David E Blair William H Creighton James Irwin Christopher Shuck Thomas Blair and William Guthry from whom Phillip B Harrison was selected as Foreman who together with his fellows aforesaid were sworn and solemnly charged by the Court and sent to their Chambers to consider of Presentments and Indictments.

< Irdered that the Foreman of the Grand Jury of the United States be itn- powered to subpoena and swear witnesses.

The Grand Jury of the United States returned into Court and having no business before them were discharged.

On Motion of J. W. Woods, District Attorney pro Tern for this County the venire facias issued by the Clerk for a Territorial Grand Jury lie set aside and a venire facias issue returnable forthwith.

The Sheriff returned into Court the venire facias this day issued with the following persons Phillip I',. Harrison Isaac II Rinearson Jeremiah Smith Reuben C Mason Phillip Maskel Henry Slaughter Thomas Stoddard David E Blair William II Creighton James Irwin Christopher Shuck Thomas Blair William Kennady Francis A Roe William Fleming William II Dennison and William Dupont summoned as Grand Jurors for the territory from whom Phillip B Har- rison is selected as Foreman who together with his fellows were sworn and solemnly charged to consider of Indictments and presentments.

Ordered that the foreman of the grand Jury last aforesaid be impowered to subpoena and swear witnesses.

()n Motion of Rufus P. Burlingame by Chapmann his Attorney a licence is granted him to keep a ferry across the Iowa River at the Iowa Town for one year whereupon the said Burlingame with William Guthrie bis security came into Court and entered into a Recognisance in the penalty of one hundred dol- lar conditioned according to law.

( )n Motion of William Milligan by Chapman his attorney a licence is granted him to keep a ferry across the Iowa river at the town of Wapello for one year

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 77

and thereupon with the said William Milligan came into Court and entered into a Recognisance conditioned according to law with Martin Harless his security.

On Motion of William H. Dennison by Woods his attorney a license is Granted him to keep a ferry across the Iowa river at the town of Mount Sterling for one year and thereupon the said William II Dennison came into Court and entered into a Recognisance conditioned according to law with William Kennedy his security.

On motion of John Ronalds Reuben S Searl and William Kennedy by Chap- man their attorney a licence is granted them to keep a ferry across the Iowa river at the town of Harrison for one year and thereupon the said John Reynolds Reuben S Searl and William Kennedy came into Court and entered into a Recog- nisance Conditioned according to Law with William Milligan their security.

Ordered that the Court adjourn until tomorrow morning ten Oclock.

D. Irvix, Judge.

Friday, April 21st A. D. 1837 Court met pursuant to adjournment. Present The same Judge.

On motion of Nelson Dethrick by Woods his attorney ordered that a Licence be Granted him to keep a ferry across the Iowa river at the Central Wapello town for one year whereupon the said Dethrick with William W Adams his security came into Court and entered into a Recognisanca in the penal sum of one hundred dollars conditioned according to law'

On motion of Phillip B. Harrison by Woods his attorney ordered that a licence be Granted him to keep a ferry across the Iowa river at the town of Florence for one year whereupon the said Harrison with Jeremiah Smith his security came into Court and entered into a Recognisance in the penal sum of one hun- dred dollars conditioned according to law.

Presley Chalfant vs. William Dupont.

Ordered that the Defendant Plead in one month, and Plaintiff Reply by the first of July thereafter and further pleadings within fifteen days successfully" until issue.

Ordered that a rule be taken against Francis A Roe one of the Grand jurors sworn and charged at the present term of the Court to appear at the next term of this Court to show cause why he shall not be fined for absenting himself without leave of the Court.

Ordered by the Court that the rates of Ferrage at the several ferries licensed in the County be as follows :

For each man on foot 12^

For each man and horse . 25

For each waggon & two horses 75

For each additional horse I2j4

Waggon & one yoke of oxen 75

Additional yoke of oxen 25

Loose cattle each 10

For sheep hogs goats & c each 61/4

and that the said Ferries be kept in operation from sun up till sun down each day.

^'Successively.

78 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Ordered that it be certified that the persons attending this Court as Grand Jurors on behalf of the United States be allowed for one days attendance.

Ordered that the persons attending this Court as Grand Jurors on the part of the Territory be allowed for two days attendance.

Ordered that William W Chapman District Attorney of the United States be allowed for two days attendance on this Court and one hundred and sixty miles travel.

Ordered that the Marshall be allowed for two days attendance upon this Court and for thirty miles travel and for summoning a grand jury.

Ordered that the following persons be allowed as petit jurors of this Court as follows (viz")

John H Benson one day 12 miles travel

Orien Briggs one day 12 miles travel

William Kennedy one day 6 miles travel

David Russell one day 20 Do

Wesley Swank one day 24 Do

Joseph Carter one day 22 Do

Nathaniel Prime 20 Do

William Dupont 24 Do

William H Lee 12 Do

John Kem 8 Do

David Linn 16 Do

Abraham Wigant 2 Do

Peter Wigant 2 Do

David M. Hanson 2 Do

William H Dennison vs William Fleming — Debt on Note.

This dav came the defendant by his attorney (Chapman) and moved to quash the writ upon the grounds first, that there is no seal 2nd there is no endorsement by attornev or other competent person which motion being sustained, it is adjudged and ordered that said writ be quashed. United States vs Thomas D Kellough — Indictment for Assault and Battery United States vs Isaac Parsons — Indictment for Assault and Battery I "nited States vs John Westfall — Indictment for Assault and Battery United States vs Joseph Carter — Indictment for Assault and Battery I nited States vs James Gordon & Joshua Smith — Indictment for Gaming. L "nited States vs John Kem — Indictment for Assault and Battery. United States vs Joshua Smith — Indictment for Gaming. United States vs William Kennedy — Indictment for Assault and Battery United State- vs James Gordon — Indictment for Gaining. United States vs John W Fergason — Indictment for Assault and Battery United States vs Samuel S. Gorly — Indictments for Assault & Battery United States vs ( >rien Briggs, Robert Briggs and John W Fergason — Indict- ment for Affray.

Ordered that bail be taken in the sum of fifty-five dollars, process of capias to issued returnable to the next Court.

Ordered that the Court be now adjourned until the next term thereof.

D. Irvin, Judge.

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HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 79

This term of court was held in what was then called Lower Wapello, the legislature having located the county seat at that place. This subject will be dis- cussed more in detail when we come to the history of Wapello, but it may be well enough now to say that the court house then used was made of cottonwood logs or poles, and the stand from which Judge Irvin dispensed justice was an ordinary dry-goods box, upon which was a split bottom chair. The grand jury held its sessions in a sort of cave, or hollow, in the river bank, and the petit jury conducted their deliberations a part of the time at least in a movable calf pen.

As appears by the foregoing record, Zadok C. Inghram was appointed clerk on the first day and gave his bond, but there is no doubt of his having been appointed clerk some time prior to January 17, 1837, although we have not been able to find any record of it. This was doubtless done under an act of the territorial legislature of Wisconsin, approved November 17, 1836, authorizing the judges of the supreme court for the several counties, to appoint a clerk of each court of their respective districts, previous to the holding of the first term of court. Under the law the clerks so appointed were to hold their several appointments until the first term of the court for which they were appointed, and until their successors were appointed and qualified ; acting under this law. Mr. Inghram had been appointed to hold until the first term of court, and this necessitated his appointment again on the opening of court. Mr. Inghram held this office for ten years, and was indeed the pioneer laborer in the work of organizing the county and putting its official machinery in motion. Through the kindness of Thomas Newell, we are able to present herewith a picture of Mr. Inghram, which has been in possession of Mr. Nevvell's mother for a great many years. After leaving this county, Mr. Inghram went to Missouri, where it is understood that he died in 1883.

The sheriff at this term of court was Samuel Smith, who was appointed to this office by Governor Dodge, on December 8, 1836, the next day after the law estab- lishing Louisa county took effect. At the same time the Governor appointed the following justices of the peace for this county: William Milligan, Christopher Shuck, Isaac Rinearson and William L. Toole. These justices and Sheriff Smith were confirmed by the council on the day following their appointment. There has been a great deal of difference of opinion expressed at different periods as to who was the first sheriff of the county. It has been variously contended that Martin Harless, C. M. McDaniel and William H. R. Thomas were each entitled to this distinction. Dr. John Bell in his old settlers' address, to which we have before referred, discussed this subject and while he was in error as to his opinion, we quote what he says for the purpose of rescuing from oblivion an interesting, and as we understand, true anecdote, concerning the appointment of Martin Harless, who was our second sheriff: "Old Cal, as we used to call him, was not, as generally supposed, the first sheriff of Louisa county. One Martin Harless had that honor. Being up at Wapello when the first court was organized, he had the good fortune to be appointed sheriff. Feeling highly elated over his good luck, he got fuddled, and on going home, his wife noticed that there was a great change in his manner ; there was something mysterious in his conduct. After several vain attempts she succeeded in removing his secret — he, Martin Harless, was high sheriff of Louisa county. One of the children, hearing of their good

80 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

fortune, rushed forward and wanted to know if they were all sheriffs. The old lady took the bov a whack, exclaiming, 'No, fool! nobody is sheriff but your dad and L* "

In order to convince all doubting Thomases or doubting McDaniels that we are correct as to Sheriff Smith, we give herewith a fac simile of the oath of office taken by him before Clerk Inghram, February 18, 1837. We have not learned much about the history of Samuel Smith. It is quite likely that Smith creek, down below old Florence, was named after him. as he took up a claim located on Smith creek and not far from the mouth of it. It was said that he was under sheriff of Des Moines count)- at the time Louisa county was organized and that his appointment as sheriff was largely due to that fact. We see in the execu- tive journal edited by Dr. Shambaugh, that in 1839 Governor Lucas appointed a Samuel Smith to be sheriff of Henry county. This may have been the same person.

There has likewise been doubt and uncertainty as to the name and member- ship of the board which transacted the first business of the county. For the last forty years, at least, it has been supposed that the earliest record of the transac- tions of such a board was to be found in the "Commissioners' Record, Book A," being the record of the commissioners' court, which begins on April 2, 1838. In a work edited by the Acme Publishing Company, in 1889, relating to Louisa county, though chiefly biographical, it was said that William Milligan. Jeremiah Smith and John Reynolds ( Ronalds ) were the county commissioners who organized the county and held their first meeting. April 22, 1837. and that they appointed Z. C. Inghram clerk of the commissioners' court. It is also stated that no record could be found of a meeting of this board and that the first record was that beginning April 2, 1838. A few years ago O. I. Jamison, editor of the Columbus Junction Gazette, spent considerable time in investigating and writing up the early history of the county and he seems to have concluded that the story as to Milligan, Smith and Ronalds was without foundation, as he speaks of it as a tradition. Fortunately, we are able to set all doubts upon this subject at rest, having found in the attic to the court house woodshed, among many other old books and important documents relating to our early history, the record book of the first official board of the county. The board which made this record was not a board of county commissioners, nor a commissioners' court, and not so called. It came into existence by virtue of a number of acts which had been adopted in the territory of Michigan, and which were made to apply to Wiscon- sin. These various Michigan acts provided for the election of supervisors, we believe one for each township, and specified their powers and duties. In Decem- ber, 1836, the Wisconsin legislature passed an act to amend the several Michigan acts referred to and provided that each county should be declared one township for all purposes of carrying into effect the above acts, and that at the annual town meeting there should be elected in each county three supervisors who should perform in addition to the duties heretofore assigned them as a county board, the duties heretofore performed by the township board. This act also provided for the election of one township clerk, who should be clerk to this board of supervisors.

Inasmuch as this book throws a flood of light upon the institutional beginnings in this county, we give a fac simile of a few of the twenty-one pages, which record the doings of this pioneer "bord."

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HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 81

We have been unable to find the record of the election which was held in the spring of 1837, when this "bord" was elected. It appears that one of the three members of the board failed to qualify and that some of the other officers elected failed to qualify, and the first act of this board after appointing Mr. Inghram clerk pro tern, was to order an election to be held on the 6th of May following, for the purpose of electing one supervisor, constables, assessor, collector, direc- tor of the poor, fence viewer and all other officers required to fill vacancies caused by those previously elected, failing to "qualefy" in due time. This meeting of the board was held at the house where court was last held, as was also the next meeting on May 12th. The meeting on the latter date was a special meeting. At this meeting the first allowance made was of $10 to Z. C. Inghram, but the purpose for which it was allowed is not stated. Samuel Smith, sheriff, was also allowed $13, and William H. R. Thomas, deputy sheriff, was allowed $1.50. Nearly three pages of the record are taken up with allowances made to the grand jurors and petit jurors of the term of court that had just been held. -At this same meeting it was also ordered that the property of Louisa county be assessed on or before the first day of July. 1837. We have found no returns of the special election ordered by this board to be held on the 6th of May, 1837, but undoubtedly William Kennedy was elected township clerk, for at this meeting he was allowed one dollar for services as clerk of the board of supervisors. It is also certain that John Ronalds was elected as the other member of the board of supervisors at the May election, because he appears as a member of the board at the meeting held July 11, 1837. The record of this July meeting begins about the middle of page 6. and as will be seen by the fac siimle of that page, it contains the record of the first county road ordered in this county. There were four other roads ordered laid out at this same meeting. One was to commence at or near the Hatcher claim on the south line of the county, thence on the nearest and best route, not to injure improvements, to intersect a county road near Levi Thornton's on the north line of the county : and Joshua Swank. William Kennedy and Levi Thorn- ton were appointed commissioners to mark said road, and were to make their return at the next meeting, together with an estimate of the costs. The "county road" referred to in this last order was probably the territorial road established by the act of the Wisconsin legislature. December 7. 1836, and for the purpose of locat- ing and establishing a territorial road west of the Mississippi. By this act Abel Galland, Solomon Perkins, Benjamin Clark, Adam Sherrill, William Jones and Henry L. Lauder were appointed commissioners to lay out a territorial road west of the Mississippi, commencing at Farmington, on the Des Moines river, thence to Moffit's mill, thence to the nearest and best route to Burlington, thence to Wapello, thence In- the nearest and best route to Dubuque, and thence to the ferry opposite Prairie du Chien.

Another road ordered at this meeting was to commence at the territorial road at Wapello, going thence to Henry county in the direction of Mount Pleasant, and Thomas Ingland (England). J. J. Rinearson and Joseph Higby (Higbee) were appointed commissioners. Another road was to commence at the ferry above the mouth of the "Ioway" river, thence to intersect the territorial road at Milligan's ferry on the "Ioway" river. William L. Toole, Henry Warnstaff and David M. Hanson were appointed commissioners.

82 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

The other road ordered was to commence at the head of Main street in Har- rison, and thence east, following the section line and intersecting the road from Burlington to Bloomington. John P. < riles ( < Wilis?), R. S. Sear] and James Erwin were appointed commissioners.

This brings us to page 8 of the record, and of this we also give a fac simile reproduction, mainly because on this page is found the record of the establish- ment of "the rates of tavern" for Louisa county.

The next meeting was held on July 12th at the house of William Milligan. William Milligan was "permitted to keep a tavern in Wapello for one year, com- mencing Aprile the 1st. 1837." At this meeting an order was made for a road to commence at the ferry line opposite "( )quaka" on the Mississippi, and thence by the "neardest and best rout" to Cattees on the "loway" river. Nathaniel Prime. R. S. Searl and I. H. Rinearson were appointed commissioners and the clerk of the board was directed to send a copy of these proceedings to Steven S. and A. Phelps, of Oquaka, "requesting them to transmit to the board of com- missioners at their next meeting the amount of money or labor they and the citi- zens of Oquaka will be responsabel for by way of donation in opening said road."

The next meeting was a special meeting held at the house of R. S. Searl in the town of Harrison, on the 8th of August, 1837. The first business transacted at this meeting was the establishment of five districts, and as this is the first effort to divide the county, we copy in full the proceedings in reference to these five districts :

"Ordered that the Black Hawk district Xo. 1 shall be bounded as following; viz: Commencing at the Mississippia river, above the mouth of the loway river, thence up the loway river to the line dividing range two and three west, thence north on said line to the line dividing township 74 and 75 north, thence east on said line to the Mississippia river, thence down the Mississippia river to the place of beginning, and that William Fleming be appointed pathmaster to oversee the working of roads in said destrict.

"Ordered that the Harrison destrict No. 2 be bounded as follows: On the east by destrict No. 1, on the south by the loway river W. on a line running north and south throng the center of range three west, and on the north by the line dividing the township 74 & 75 north, and that Henry Warrenstaff be appointed pathmaster to oversee the working of roads therein.

"Ordered that the Fredonia district No. 3 shall be bounded as follows: On the north by the county line, on the west and southwest by the loway R., and on the east by a line running through the center of range 3 west, riming north and south and that William Fowler be appointed pathmaster to oversee the work- ing of roads therein.

"Ordered that the Grandview destrict No. 4 shall be bounded as follows: South by the line dividing township line, dividing 74 & 75 north, west by destrict No. 3, on the east by the Mississippia river, on the north bv the county line, and that Levi Thornton be appointed pathmaster to oversee the working of the roads therein.

"Ordered that the Wapello destrict No. 5 be bounded as follows : On the

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84 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Slaughter and Louisa counties would run so as to leave Columbus City in Slaughter county and Columbus Junction in Louisa. The final change was made by the Iowa Territorial Legislature on January 12th, 1839. by which we got back government townships 74 and ~~,, range 5, and also received, as additional terri- tory, all of the present townships of Oakland and Union. The lines have never been changed since.

CHAPTER VIII. EARLY DISTRICTS, PRECINCTS AND TOWNSHIPS.

CHANGES IN TOWNSHIP BOUNDARIES — ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW TOWNSHIPS

EARLY SETTLERS IN THE SEVERAL TOWNSHIPS — EARLY LAND ENTRIES.

The first establishment of townships as such was on January 7, 1841, but the county had been divided a few times before that. The first division was made by the board of supervisors in August, 1837, into five districts, presumably road districts, but not called by that name. These districts are set out in full in chap- ter VII in our account of the proceedings of this first board. Again, the county seems to have been divided into election precincts by the board of county com- missioners at its first meeting on April 2, 1838. Five election precincts were established at this time: ( 1st) Upper Wapello; (2d) Florence; (3d) Grand- view; (4th) Black Hawk; (5th) Fredonia. but the boundaries are not given. At this time the greater part of Columbus City township, and all of Union, Oakland and Elm Grove belonged to Slaughter county.

Judges were appointed for these various precincts as follows : Upper Wapello, Hiram Smith, Thomas England and Abram Wigant ; Florence precinct. Samuel Smith, John Deighl (Deihl) and R. P. Burlingame ; Fredonia, James Bedwell, T. G. Clark, Craig Black; Grandview. R. Childers, William Fowler. George Humphrey ; Black Hawk, Israel Trask, Jonathan Parsons and James Guest.

On April 2, 1839, the county was again divided by the county commissioners and we set out the order in full :

"Ordered that the county of Louisa be laid out in the following districts, to wit : No. 1 shall be of the following boundaries to wit : Commencing at the Mississippi river, above the mouth of Iowa river; thence up the Iowa to the line dividing ranges 2 and 3 west ; thence north on said line to the line dividing town- ship 74 and 75 north : thence east on said line to the Mississippi river : thence down the same to the place of beginning; and that William Fleming be appointed supervisor of the same.

"Ordered that the Harrison District No. 2 be bounded as follows, to wit : On the east by District No. 1 ; on the south by the Iowa river ; west on a line run- ning north and south through the center of range 3 west : and on the north by a line dividing the townships 74 and 75 north ; and that William Hinkson be and is hereby appointed supervisor of the said district.

"Ordered that the Fredonia District No. 3 shall be bounded as follows, to wit : On the north by the county line ; on the west and southwest by Cedar and

85

86 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Iowa rivers; and on the east by a line dividing ranges 3 and 4; and that John B. Criswell be supervisor of the said district.

"Ordered that Grandview District No. 4 shall be bounded as follows, to wit: South by a line dividing township line dividing 74 and 75 north ; west by Dis- trict No.. 3; on the east by the Mississippi river; on the north by the county line: and that Gabriel Wallen be supervisor of said district.

"Ordered that Wapello District Xo. 5 shall be of the following boundary, to wit : On the east by the range line dividing ranges 2 and 3 west ; on the north by the Iowa river ; on the west by range line dividing ranges 3 and 4 west : on the south by the county line; and that John Drake be supervisor to see to the working of roads in said district.

"Ordered that the Florence Road district No. 6 be bounded as follows, to wit : On the west on the line dividing ranges 2 and 3 west ; on the east by the Mississippi river ; on the south by the county line ; on the north by the Iowa river ; and that Loring Howes be supervisor to oversee the working of the same.

"Ordered that Long Creek District No. 7 be bounded as follows, to wit : Embracing all that part of the township in range 4, township 74 north, laying south of the Iowa river ; and township 74 north of range 5 west ; and that Thomas Neel be supervisor to oversee the working of the roads therein.

"Ordered that the Virginia Grove Road District No. 8 be bounded as fol- lows, to wit : Embracing township 73 in range 4 west, and that William Guinn be and he is hereby appointed supervisor to oversee the working of the roads in said district.

"Ordered that Iowa Road District No. 9 be bounded as follows, to wit : All that part of township 75 north of range 4 west; also all that part of township 75 in range 5 west ; and all that part of township 76 north of range 5 west ; all lying south of the Iowa river; and that David Dicks be and he is hereby appointed supervisor to oversee the working of the roads in said district.

"Ordered that Iowa and Ceder River Road District No. 10 be bounded as follows, to wit : All that part of township 76 north in range 5 west ; also all that part of township 75 in range 4 west, laying between the Iowa and Cedar rivers;1 and that Hugh Calin be supervisor to oversee the working of roads in said district."

It will be noticed that the order merely says that the county shall be laid out into the following districts and that the word road district is not used until No. 6 is reached, but it is to be presumed that all of these districts were road districts.

On April 8, 1840, the board of commissioners reorganized the districts of the county and changed the names of some of them. It is evident that they were intended for voting precincts for some purposes at least, because the place of holding the election in nearly all of them is given.

On the record the word township seems to have been used in nearly every case instead of the word district and then the word township was erased and the word district is used in the place of it all the way through.

"Ordered that Jefferson District be bounded as follows : Commencing at the Mississippi river at the line dividing section 27 and 22 in fraction township 74, range 2 running west to the range line dividing 2 and 3 ; thence south with said

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HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 87

range line to the township line dividing 73 and 74 ; thence west on said line to Iowa river ; thence down said river to the Mississippi ; thence up the Mississippi to the place of beginning: and that Jonas Ruffner be appointed supervisor to work roads therein, and Black Hawk be the place of holding elections for said district.

"Ordered that Harrison District be bounded as follows: Commencing at the Mississippi river on the township line dividing 74 and 75 ; thence west on said line to the section line dividing 2 and 3, in town 74, in range 3 ; then south to the Iowa river ; then down said river to the township line dividing Jt, and 74 : then east to the range line dividing 2 and 3 ; then north with said line : then to the corner of sections 24 and 19; then east to the Mississippi: then up said river to the place of beginning and John Ronalds be appointed supervisor to work the roads therein and Harrison be the place of holding elections for said district.

"Ordered that Warren District be bounded as follows: Commencing at the Mississippi river at the county line dividing Louisa and Muscatine counties ; thence following said line to the range line dividing 3 and 4 ; then south to the Iowa river ; then down said river to the section line dividing 22 and 23 in township 74 of range 3 ; then north to the township line dividing 74 and 75 ; then east to the Mississippi river; then up said river to the place of beginning and that Grand- view be the place of holding elections for said township ; and William Thomp- son be appointed supervisor to work the roads therein.

"Ordered that Fredonia District be of the following boundaries to wit : Be- ginning at the northeast corner of township 75. range 4 west, and running thence west with the county line to Cedar river ; thence down said river to the range line dividing 3 and 4; thence north to the place of beginning; the place of hold- ing the election be at Fredonia, and James Bedwell be supervisor of said district.

"Ordered that Catteese District be of the following boundaries, to wit : Be- ginning at the mouth of Cedar river; thence up said river to the county line; thence west to the range line dividing 4 and 5 ; thence north to the township line dividing townships 76 and jj ; thence west to the range line dividing 5 and 6 ; thence south with said line to the township line dividing 75 and 76, and con- tinuing the same course to the center of township 75 ; thence east to the Iowa river ; thence down said river to the place of beginning. The place for holding elections shall be at Hugh Caland's ; and that John Blake be supervisor to over- see the working of roads in the same.

"Ordered that Union township be composed of the south half of township 75 and township 74 of range 5. The place for holding elections therein shall be at the house of Edward Halls, and that Elias Buel be supervisor to oversee the working of roads in the same.

"Ordered that Fayette District be of the following boundaries, to wit : Begin- ning on the Iowa river on the line dividing sections 18 and 19 of township 75 of range 4 west ; and running west to the range line betwixt 4 and 5 ; thence south with said line to the township line dividing /T, and 74 ; thence east with said town- ship line to the range line dividing 3 and 4 ; thence north to the Iowa river ; thence up said river to the place of beginning. The place for holding elections therein shall be at the house of Jacob Triggs. And that Leonard Robinson be supervisor to oversee the working of roads in said district.

"Ordered that Virginia Grove District be of the following boundaries, to wit : To include the congressional township y^ north of range 4 west ; And that

88 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

the place for holding elections shall be at the house of Richard W. Gwinn. And that Richard W. Gwinn be supervisor to oversee the working of roads therein.

"Ordered that Wapello District be of the following boundaries, to wit : He- ginning on the Iowa river on the range line dividing ranges 3 and 4 ; thence south to the county line ; thence east to the range line dividing ranges 2 and 3 ; thence north to the Iowa river ; thence up said river to the place of beginning. Wapello to be the place for holding elections. And that for all that part of town- ship 73, range 3 west. Garrett Garrison be supervisor to oversee the working of roads in that division: and that Nathaniel J. Ives be supervisor to oversee the working of roads in the balance of said district.

"Ordered that Florence District be of the following boundaries, to wit : Beginning on the Iowa river on the range line dividing ranges 2 and 3 ; thence south to the county line ; thence east with the county line to the Mississippi river : thence up the Mississippi river to the mouth of the Iowa river ; thence up said river to the place of beginning. Florence to lie the place for holding elections in said district. And that P. B. Harrison be supervisor to oversee the working of roads therein.

"Ordered that part of Warren District which is embraced in the east half of congressional township 75, range 3 west, be assigned to Spencer Wilson as supervisor of the same."'

At the election on October 5. 1840, the question of township organization was submitted to the people and returns were made on this question from Fredonia. Virginia Grove, Columbus City, Grandview, Wapello. Jefferson and Florence precincts, the result being 178 for township organization and 79 against, all the precincts except Columbus City casting majorities for the proposition. In pur- suance of this vote the county was divided into townships on January 7, 1841, by the following order :

"Ordered that the county of Louisa be laid oft into townships in the follow- ing order, to wit :

"Wapello township shall be of the following boundary, to wit : Beginning at a point on the Iowa river on the section line dividing sections 12 and 13, township 73 north, range 3 west ; thence west with the section line to the west boundary of the county ; thence north to the township line dividing towns 73 and 74 north ; thence east with said township line to the section line dividing sections t,^ and 34, in township 74 north of range 4 west: thence north with said section line to the Iowa river ; thence down said river to the place of beginning. And the place of holding elections for the time being shall be at Wapello.

"Florence township shall be of the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at the southeast corner of the county ; thence west to the range line dividing ranges 4 and 5 ; thence north to the section line dividing sections 7 and 18; thence east to the Iowa river ; thence down said river to the Mississippi river ; thence down said river to the place of beginning. The place for holding elections for the first election shall be at the house Samuel Jamison.

"Columbus City township shall be of the following boundaries, to wit: Be- ginning at the Iowa river in township 75 north, range 4 on the section line divid- ing sections 33 and 34 : thence south to the township line dividing townships ~^

MAI' OF LOUISA COUNTY, TERRITORY OF IOWA. SHOWING ORIGINAL PLAN

OF TOWNSHIPS

I

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 89

and 74; thence west to the range line dividing ranges 5 and 6; thence north to the Iowa river ; thence down said river to the place of beginning. The place for hold- ing elections for the time being shall be at Columbus City.

"Jefferson township shall be of the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at a point on the Iowa river, in township 74 north, range 3 west, on the section line dividing sections 14 and 15 ; thence north to the section line dividing sections 14 and 11 ; thence east to the Mississippi river; thence down said Mississippi river to the mouth of the Iowa river ; thence up said river to the place of beginning. And the place for holding elections for the time being shall be at Toolesboro.

"Grandview township shall be of the following boundaries, to wit : Begin- ning at the northeast corner of said county ; thence west to the range line dividing ranges 3 and 4 west ; thence south to the Iowa river ; thence down said river to the section line dividing sections 14 and 15 in township 74 north of range 3 west; thence north to the line dividing sections 10 and 15 ; thence east to the Mississippi river ; thence up said river to the place of beginning. And the place for holding elections for the time being shall be at Grandview.

"Fredonia township shall be of the following boundaries, to wit : Beginning at a point on the Iowa river on the line dividing ranges 3 and 4; thence north to the county line ; thence west to the line dividing ranges 4 and 5 ; thence north to the line dividing townships 76 and yy north ; thence west to the Iowa river ; thence down said river to the place of beginning. The place of elections for the time being shall be at Fredonia."

On January 4, 1842, the commissioners ordered that the fractional section No. 23, township 74 north, range 3 west, be attached to Wapello township, and on April 4, 1842, the following sections and fractional sections were added to Wapello township namely: Sections 13. 14. 23. 24. 25, 26, 35 and 36, all in township 74 north, range 3 west, and the following were added to Jefferson township: Sec- tions 1, 2, 11, 12, 13 and 14 in township jt, north, range 2 west; and sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 16, 17 and 18 in township 73 north, range 1 west.

The next change seems to have been on April 2 1844, when it was ordered that all that part of Louisa county situated between the Mississippi and Iowa rivers and lying north of the Iowa slough be attached to Jefferson township.

On April 13, 1847, the subject of dividing the county into commissioners dis- tricts was taken under consideration and the county was divided into three com- missioners' districts as1 follows : Wapello and Florence townships were made the first district, Grandview and Jefferson township the second district, and Columbus City and Fredonia townships the third district.

The first effort to establish what afterwards became Eliot township was on April 14, 1847, when John Hector and F. S. Burt and a number of others peti- tioned the county commissioners to organize a new township to be called Pleasant township, and to be composed of all that part of Jefferson on the south side of the Iowa river, and as much of Florence township as the board might think neces- sary. The board decided that it was inexpedient to grant the petition at that time.

On July 6, 1847. the line between Wapello and Columbus City townships was changed as follows: The south half of section ^3^ township j^ north, range 4 west, was taken from Columbus City and attached to Wapello township.

On October 6, 1847, Isaac Parsons and a number of others laid before the

90 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

board a petition for the enlargement of Jefferson township by attaching to it all the territory lying south of Iowa slough and between that slough and the south line of the count)-, and west to the line dividing sections 33 and 34 in township J3 north, range 2 west, and the board ordered the alteration to be made upon the condition that the signatures of the persons then residing in Florence township in the territory sought to be attached should first be obtained to a petition asking the change to be made. This petition was to be returned to the commissioners' clerk within thirty days. A memorandum following this entry, signed by S. M. Kirkpatrick, states that the above condition was not complied with but at the ses- sion of the commissioners in April, 1848. an order was made, attaching to Jeffer- son township the territory heretofore belonging to Florence township lying be- tween the Iowa slough and the section line, dividing sections 33 and 34 in town- ship 73 north, range 2 west, and providing that the above described section line and a continuation of the same extending from the south line of this county to the Iowa river be made the boundary line between Jefferson and Florence town- ships.

CONCORD TOWNSHIP ESTABLISHED.

On March 4, 1853, there was presented to the county court a petition of the citi- zens of Fredonia township asking that it be divided and a division was ordered as follows : A hew township was established by the name of Concord, commenc- ing at a point on the Iowa river where the township range line divides ranges 3 and 4; thence north to the line dividing the counties of Louisa and Muscatine; thence west to the Cedar river; thence down said river to its junction with the Iowa river ; thence down said Iowa river to the place of beginning.

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP ESTABLISHED.

It was ordered that a township be established by the name of Oakland to include the following territory: All of township 76, range 5, and all territory in Louisa county lying in the forks of the Iowa and Cedar rivers ; and it was further pro- vided that the north boundary of Columbus City township should thereafter be a line dividing townships 75 and 76 to the point wdiere said line intersects the Iowa river. The people of Oakland township had wanted this change made for a long time and the story is that it was brought about by the election of all the township officers of Fredonia township from the west side of the Cedar river. The plan was managed by Charles H. Abbott. He made a thorough canvass of wdrat is now Oakland township, had the voters assemble down at Old Port Allen rather late on the day of election and then cross over the Cedar in skiffs or boats, two or three at a time, to do their voting. Of course they had their ticket for township officers all agreed upon. The folks over at Fredonia did not suspect anything until late in the evening and they began to martial their voters but it was no use, the plan had succeeded and all the township officers of what was then Frendonia township were elected from the west side of the Cedar river — what is now Oak- land township.

This brought about a change of heart on the part of the people east of the Cedar river and they were willing to have two townships made out of Fredonia

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 91

township. We give this story for what it is worth. We have not looked up the records as to the election of township officers for the purpose of verifying it, as the story is good enough without this.

February 6, 1854, A. D. Hurley presented a petition to the county court signed by the citizens of Florence township asking that that portion of the township east of a line commencing at the quarter section corner of the south boundary of sec- tion 34, running due north to intersect the quarter section corner of the north boundary of section 22; thence north to the corner of sections 15 and 16 and 21 and 22 ; thence north to the corner of sections 9 and 10 and 15 and 16, all in town- ship 72, north, range 3 west, be attached to Wapello township, and it was so ordered.

UNION TOWNSHIP ESTABLISHED.

On February 6, 1854, Andrew Gamble presented a petition of the citizens of Oakland and Columbus City townships asking for the formation of a new town- ship of the territory of Columbus City and Oakland, to be bounded as follows : Commencing at the southwest corner of section 7, township 75 north, range 5 west ; thence east to the Iowa river ; thence up the Iowa river to the county line : thence west to the northwest corner of township 76 north, range 5 west ; thence south on the county line to the place of beginning ; the new township to be called Union. Among the signers to this petition were John Albaugh, Robert Todd, Peter Rineley, W. W. Orr, Patrick Colton, Nelson Alloway, Michael McGuire, G. W. Duncan and S. S. Wilcox. There was some opposition to this petition from the east side of the Iowa river but it was granted, and Union township established.

MORNING SUN TOWNSHIP ESTABLISHED.

On May 1, 1854, a petition was presented to the county court, signed by about fifty citizens of Florence township asking that the name be changed to Morning Sun township, and it was so ordered. Among the signers to the petition we note the names of Jesse Hamilton, Arch Johnson, Forgay Owens, William P. Brown, Robert Hewitt, Josiah Vertrees, James C. Brown, O. A. Taylor, B. F. Lee, J. R. Wilson, Hamilton Brown and Thomas McClurkin.

OTTER CREEK TOWNSHIP ESTABLISHED.

On July 5, 1854, John Corson and others petitioned for the formation of a new township to be called Otter Creek and the court established said township with the following boundaries : Beginning at the northwest corner of section 19, town- ship 74 north, range 4 west ; thence south on the range line five miles to the southwest corner of section 7, township 73 north, range 4 west ; thence east six miles to the southeast corner of section 12, township jt, north, range 4 west: thence north five miles to the northeast corner of section 24, township 74 north, range 4 west ; thence west six miles to the place of beginning. And the first elec- tion was ordered to be held the first Monday in April, 1855, at Hope Farm. The petition in this case does not seem to be among the files.

On March 17, 1855, Otter Creek township was changed at the request of E. W. Siverly and others by taking from it the following territory and attaching the

92 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

same to Wapello township, namely: Sections I and 12 in township 73 north. range 4 west : and sections 24, 25 and 37 in township 74 north, range 4 west. ( >n August 7, 1855, an order was made by which the following territory was taken from Wapello town-hip and added to Otter Creek township, namely: the west half of sections 24. 25 and 36 of township 74 north, range 4 west: and the same of sections r and 12 in township 73 mirth, range 4 west. The petition for this change was signed by N. M. Cowles, John N. Baldrige, R. E. Benton, Olivet I'.enton, James Coulter, Jesse Vanhorn, Abraham Hill and a few others.

PORT LOUISA TOWNSHIP ESTABLISHED.

( )n February 4. 185(1. the county court established Port Louisa township with boundaries as follows: Commencing on the east bank of the Iowa river on the township line between townships 73 and 74: thence east to the southeast corner of section $$. township 74 north, range 2 west: thence north on the section line to Muscatine slough; thence down said slough to the Mississippi river; thence up said river to the county line ; thence west on the county line to the northwest corner of township 75 north, range 2 west; thence south on the township line to the line between townships 74 and 75 ; thence west on said line to the northwest corner of section 3; thence south to the Iowa river; thence down the east bank of said river to the place of beginning. This petition was numerously signed by people within the newly proposed township but some of the names are not decipherable now. The petition is in the handwriting of J. C. Lock-wood and signed by him. Among the other names we note the following; Joseph I!. McDill. G. H. Crow, lames S. Williamson, J. H. Williamson, David 1'. Herron, lames Erwin, William Kennedy, Michael Lieberknecht and John Ronalds.

ELLIOTT TOWNSHIP ESTABLISHED.

I >n February 4, 1856, Elliott township was established with the following boundaries : Commencing at the mouth of the Iowa river on the south side ; thence south down the Mississippi river to the Des Moines county line ; thence west along said county line to the southwest corner of township j^ north, range 2 west; thence north to the Iowa river: thence down said Iowa river to the place of beginning. The first election was ordered to be held at Russell's schoolhouse. The spelling of Elliott township as given in the original order is as we have it here, although in later years it has been customary to spell it Eliot, this latter spelling being the most appropriate, since the township was named in honor of Allan Eliot.

MARSHALL TOWNSHIP ESTABLISHED.

On February 4, 1850, there is also an entry showing that Noah Cowles had previously presented a petition of citizens of Otter Creek township, praying that the name be changed to Marshall township and that order was made.

ELM GROVE TOWNSHIP KSTAP.LISHED.

( >n March 16, 1857, on the petition of H. S. Dodd and others that part of township 74 north, range 5 west, which is south of Long Creek, was organized into

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 93

a new township under the name of Elm Grove. There was considerable opposi- tion to this on the part of S. K. Helmick and most of those living in that district and they fded remonstrance, and a little later, namely, on March 23, 1857, it was ordered that so much of Elm Grove township as lies north of the line dividing sections 7 and 18, 8 and 17, 9 and 16, 10 and 15, 11 and 14, and [ _> and 13, be attached to Columbus City township.

On June 21st, 1858, on account of the uncertainty in regard to the township lines, County Judge Derbin made an order establishing the townships and fixing their boundaries as follows :

The township of Elliot is bounded by a lino commencing at the West of the Iowa river on the section line dividing section 20 and 21, township yT,, range 2 west ; thence west to the northwest corner of section 29, township jt„ range 2 west; thence south to the county line; thence east to the Mississippi river; thence up said Mississippi river to the line dividing sections 16 and 21, township •/},, range 1 west ; thence west to the Iowa river ; thence on southern bank of said [owa river to the place of beginning.

The township of Jefferson is bounded by a line commencing on the east side of the Iowa river at the section line dividing sections 23 and 26, township 74, range 3 west ; thence following the east bank of said Iowa river to the section line dividing sections 20 and 21, township jt,, range 2 west; thence on southern bank of said river to the section line dividing sections 14 and 23, township y^, range 2 west ; thence east to the Mississippi river ; thence following said Missis- sippi river to the Muscatine Slough ; thence up the west bank of said Muscatine Slough to the section line dividing sections 20 and 29, township 74, range 2 west ; thence west to place of beginning.

Port Louisa township is bounded by a line commencing at the north county line on the east side of the Muscatine Slough ; thence south on the bank of said Muscatine Slough to the range line dividing township /$, range 3 and township 75, range 2, at section 30; thence south to southwest corner of section 31, town- ship 75, range 2; thence west to southwest corner of section 34, township 75, range 3 ; thence south to the Iowa river ; thence on east bank of said Iowa river to section line dividing sections 23 and 26, township 74, range 3 west ; thence east to Muscatine Slough ; thence on the west bank of said Muscatine Slough till it intersects the Mississippi river; thence up said Mississippi river to the northeast corner of the county ; thence west to the place of beginning.

Grandview township is bounded by a line commencing at the northwest cor- ner of section 6, township 75, range 3 west ; thence south to the Iowa river on range line dividing township 74, range 3, township 74, range 4 : thence on east bank of Iowa river to section line dividing sections 15 and 16, township 74, range 3 west : thence north to northeast corner of section 4, township 74, range 3 west ; thence east to southeast corner of section 36, township j$, range 3 west : thence north to the Muscatine Slough ; thence on east bank of said slough to county line ; thence west to the place of beginning.

Concord township is bounded by a line commencing on the west side of Cedar river at the county line ; thence following said bank to section line dividing sections 19 and 20, township 75, range 4, on the west side of the Iowa river; thence on west bank of said Iowa river to section line dividing sections 33 and

94 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

34, township /$, range 4 west ; thence north to east side of the Iowa river; thence on east bank of said river to range line dividing section 1, township 74, range 4, and section 6, township 74. range 3 ; thence north to northeast corner of section 1, township 75, range 4 west; thence west to place of beginning.

Oakland township is bounded by a line commencing at the northeast corner of section 1, township 76, range 5; thence south to the southeast corner of sec- tion 36, township 76, range 5 west ; thence east to Cedar river ; thence south to the intersection of the Iowa river; thence north on east bank of the Iowa river to county line ; thence east to place of beginning.

Union township is bounded by a line commencing at the northwest corner of section 6, township 76, range 5 west : thence south to the southwest corner of section 7, township 75, range 5 west ; thence east to the southeast corner of sec- tion 12, township 75, range 5, on east bank of the Iowa river; thence northwest to county line : thence west to place of beginning.

Columbus City township is bounded by a line commencing at the northwest corner of section 18. township J-,, range 5 west; thence south to southwest cor- ner of section 7. township 74, range 5 west ; thence east to range line between township 74, range 5, and township 74. range 4 west ; thence south to southwest corner of section 18, township 74, range 4 west ; thence east to southeast corner of section 16, township 74, range 4 west; thence north to Iowa river: thence on south bank of said river to the section line dividing sections 19 and 20, town- ship y$, range 4 ; thence north to north bank of Iowa river ; thence following said river bank to the southwest corner of said section 7, township 75, range 4; thence west to place of beginning.

Wapello township is bounded by a line commencing at the north side of the Iowa river on section line dividing sections 33 and 34, township 75. range 4 and running south to the southwest corner of section 15, township 74, range 4 west : thence east to the southeast corner of section 14. township 74. range 4 west ; thence south to the southwest corner of section 12. township jt„ range 4; thence east to southeast corner of section 9, township jt,, range 3 west : thence south to l/2 section line of section 22, township jt,, range 3 west : thence east to center of said section; thence south to county line: thence east to southeast corner of section 31, township -t,, range 2 west; thence north to the northeast corner of section 30, township y^, range 2 west ; thence east to the Iowa river ; thence north to the north bank of said river ; thence northwest on bank of said river to the place of beginning.

Elm Grove township is bounded by a line commencing at the northwest corner of section 18, township 74, range 5 west, and running south to the south- west corner of section 36, township 74, range 5 west ; thence north to section line dividing sections 12 and 13, township 74. range 5 west; thence west to place of beginning.

Marshall township is bounded by a line commencing at the northwest corner of section 19, township 74, range 4 west, and running south to southwest corner of section 7, township y^, range 4 west ; thence east to the southeast corner of section 11. township y^, range 4 west; thence north to the northeast corner of section 23, township 74, range 4 west ; thence west to place of beginning.

Morning Sun township is bounded by a line commencing at the northwest corner of section 18, township y^, range 4 west, and running south to the south-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 95

west corner of section 31, township jt,, range 4 west; thence east to the half section line of section 22, township 73, range 3 west; thence north to the half section line of section 22, township 73, range 3 west ; thence west to section line dividing sections 21 and 22, township -$. range 3 west ; thence north to the northeast corner of section 16, township 73, range 3 west; thence west to place of beginning, and the same is ordered to be recorded in the book of township boundaries of said county.

On September 5, 1859, the boundaries of Wapello and Marshall townships were changed by attaching section 36, township 74, range 4. and the north half, and the southwest quarter of section 1, township -j^, range 4, to Marshall township.

The next change we note in the matter of township boundaries was made on March 9, i860, on petition of William Harrison and others asking that the western boundary line of Eliot township be extended due north from the north- west corner of section 29, township 7^ north, range 2 west, to the Iowa river, which was done.

The next change was on July 3, i860, and affected three townships. It took all that part of section 19, township 74 mirth, range 4 west, which was then in Marshall township, and the south half of section 18 of the same township and range 1, which was then in Columbus City township, and added them to Elm Grove township.

The next change was on December 29, i860, and was made on the petition of A. D. Hurley and others, and affected Jefferson and Wapello townships by attaching the following to Wapello township, namely : Commencing at the quarter section corner of the north boundary of section 26, township 74 north, range 3 west : thence east to the northeast quarter of said section ; thence down to the meander corner on the Iowa river and running between sections 25 and 26 and 35 and 36 in the same township and range, and attaching all of the land lying between such line and the Iowa river to Wapello township.

On January 6, 1863, on petition of Joseph Nichols and others, the Board changed the boundary between Marshall and Columbus City townships by add- ing to Marshall the north half of section 22, and the northwest quarter of sec- tion 2^, in township 74, range 4. June 6, 1865, on petition of Joseph Mickey, the east half of section 19, township 74, range 4, was attached to Marshall township. On November 16, 1876, the boundaries of Elm Grove township were fixed as follows: Commencing at the northwest corner of section 18, township 74, range 5 ; thence south to the southwest corner of section 31 ; thence east to the southeast corner of section 36; thence north to the northeast corner of sec- tion 25, all in township 74, range 5 ; thence east to the quarter section corner on the south side of section 19; thence north to the south line of section 18; thence east to the southeast corner of section 18; thence north to the quarter post on the east side of said section 18; thence west to the west line of said section 18; all in township 74, range 4 ; thence north on the range line dividing ranges 4 and 5 to the northeast corner of section 13, township 74, range 5 ; thence west to the northwest corner of section 18, township 74, range 5, the place of beginning.

On January 5, 1892. all the territory lying east of the Iowa river, then in Jefferson township, was transferred to Eliot township, being fractional section 31, township 74, range 1 and fractional sections 5, 6, 8, 9 and 16, and sections 7, 17 and 18 all in township j^, range 1, and sections 12 and 13, and that part of

96 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

sections n and 14 (including Cedar [sland) lying east of the Iowa river in township 73, range 2.

It will readily be seen that it would be quite difficult to give the names of the early settlers of the county by townships, for the reason that at first there were no townships, and there have been so many changes since they were formed. A great many of the real early settlers of the county will be found among the names taken from the Wisconsin census of 1836 as given in Chapter six. The names of numerous others who came in the early days are found in the records of the earlv courts and in the list of county officials.

Among the earliest settlers in Wapello township, were : William Milligan, Wright Williams. Jacob Rinearson, Rolla (Riley) Driscol, Jeremiah Smith. Sr., Tames McDaniei. C. M. McDaniel, Thomas England, James M. Clark, Francis Springer, Thomas Harrison, Samuel Jamison, George Jamison, John Allison, John Drake. William Clark. Robert Williams, Silas Chrisman, Isaac Rinearson. G. B. Alexander. John Deihl, James Wilson, Phillip B. Harrison, S. S. Gourley, Thomas L. Rose, Edward H. Thomas, .Mark Davison, Merrit Jamison. S. M. Kirkpatrick, T. N. Ives, X. J. [ves, James Brogan, John Brogan.

Among the earliest settlers in Eliot township were : Allan Eliot, William II. Creighton, Samuel Smith. Phillip Maskell, James Gordon, James Hatcher, Rufus P. Burlingame, William Dupont, Richard Staige. Samuel Pitt.

Among the earliest settlers in Morning Sun township were: Peter Curran, Josiah Yertrees, Levi Gregory, Thomas Bell, Aaron Chamberlin, John Y. Lewin, Henrv Hobbs, Samuel Dunham, William Bell, John Willson, Zadok Jarvis, Thomas Gregory, Garrett 1!. Garrison, john Bell, John Driscol, W. P. Brown, J. C. Brown. Samuel Bell, H. C. Blake.

Among the earliest settlers of Marshall township were: Joseph Higbee, Jacob Mintun, James W. Lett, R. W. < Iwinn. John Marshall. Nixon Scott. Dr. Samuel R. Isett. John Sellers. Joshua Marshall, 11. M. Ochiltree, George Key. William Isett. Franklin Griswold, Ira Griswold. Richard Restine. Richard Slaughter, Ananias Simpkins, John Marshall, Elijah Lathrop.

Among the earliest settlers in Columbus City township were: S. K. Hel- mick, Henrv Marsden. Joseph L. Derbin, G. Barstow Williams, Benjamin Stod- dard. Isaac Hall, Joel Bronson, Oliver Sweet. James M. Robertson, Thomas Xeal. Thomas Stoddard, Zebina Williams, James G. Hall, Joseph Hall. Amos Hammond, W. W. Garner, Orleans Spafford, David Dix.

Among the earliest settlers in Grandview township were: James Latta, Samuel Latta. Levi Thornton, Abram McCleary, Clark Alexander, George Humphreys, Martin Gray, Spencer Wilson. William Thompson, John Thompson, Lot Thornton, John Taylor, Robert Childers, Ylvin Clark, John 11. Williamson, Alex. Ross, Thomas B. Shellabarger, Robert Gray, John Cresswell, Andrew Kendall. William Fowler, Sylvanus Carey, J. P. Walker.

Among the earliest settlers in Port Louisa township were: John Ronalds, Thomas D. Killough, Levi Stephen, Joseph Crow, Henry Rockafellar, William Harden, William F. Dickerson, Albert O. Stickney, William Kennedy, James Erwin. Samuel G. Chambers. G. H. Crow, D. P. Herron. Albert McClung. James M. Cresswell, Elisha Searl, John F. Adams, John Holmes.

Among the earliest settlers of Jefferson township were: Christopher Shuck, \ alentine Faulkner, Isaac Parsons, fohn W. Ferguson. James Majors. Riley

/

VERDICT OF CORONERS' JURT

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 97

Mallory, Elisha Hook, Peter DeMott, Peter Keever and his sons, David Morgan, William L. Toole, T. M. Parsons, Orrin or Orien Briggs, Asa Mallory, Harmon Mallory, Thomas Bras.

Among the earliest settlers in Concord township were : James C. Sterlin, Dr. Enoch K. Maxson, Joseph Clark, Robert F. Newell, James Waterbury, Mar- vel Wheelock, George Stone, James Bedwell, Micajah Reeder, John Knott, Tacob Shellabarger, Alexander Finley.

Among the earliest settlers in Union township were: John Clark, Patrick Colton, Elisha Shephard, Steven B. Thompson, Quince Thompson, David Flack, John Flack and Wm. J. R. Flack.

Among the earliest settlers in Oakland township were: Hugh Callan, or Calin, Joseph Blake, Curtis Knight, fohn Brown, Ward Blake, Cyril Carpenter, G. W. Allen.

Among the earliest settlers in Elm Grove township were : Joseph Buffington, James O. Buffington, Sylvester Stackhouse, Samuel Pierce, Philip J. Buffington, James Riley, Elijah Jennings, H. J. McCormick, Silas Lunbeck, Barton Jones.

For the reasons already stated some of the foregoing names may be assigned by us to the wrong township. It is true that some of the early settlers began their pioneer career in one township, but lived the greater part of their lives in another and became identified with the latter. For instance, John H. Benson is usually credited to Grandview township, although he was one of the pioneer settlers of Jefferson ; and there are many other similar cases.

As noted elsewhere in this work, the earliest settlement of the county was made in the southern part of it, first probably about Toolesboro, which was not within the Keokuk Reserve, and about the same time, or a little later at Virginia Grove, which was also out of the Reserve, but neither of these were much before the first settlements in Eliot, Grandview and Port Louisa townships.

A great majority of the early settlers settled either in township 73 or in township 74. By the early settlers we mean those who came here as early as

1840, or ;hortly thereafter.

We have prepared a list of the land entries made by our early settlers. It must not be understood either, that the lands entered as shown in this list were in every case the places of first settlement of the men named, nor that the dates of the entries were the dates of their coming to this county. There were no government sales of land in this county until November, 1838, and at that time only a part of the lands in township 73 were sold, and the rest of the lands in the county were not offered for sale by the government until 1839, 1840, and

1 841. It must also be borne in mind, that many of the settlers who came here in 1836 and 1837, moved from one place to another, and sold or traded their claims, and that there is no record to be found of these transactions. But it is still probable that a majority of the land entries as shown in the following list were made by the original settlers themselves. By taking a map of the county, the reader can easily see who were the pioneers in the different localities.

Much of the land in township 73, and some in 74, was swamp land, and not entered until a later date. It is proper to say also, that the lands entered by Lyne Starling are not noted, for the reason that he was not an actual settler. His land entries comprise a great many acres. It is possible that some of the names included in the list were not actual settlers.

Vol. 1—7

98 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

In most instances, we have given the names with the spelling which appears on the records.

LAND ENTRIES IN TOWNSHIP 73 NORTH, RANGE 2 WEST.

Section 3 Section 18

George W. Fleming 1839 James Wilson 1840

James Guest 1840 Grey Wells 1840

William Fleming '840 Section 19

Section 4 Moses W. Robinson 1840

Tames Guest 1840 Orson V. Craig ^40

William Cromley 1840 Thomas Harrison ^40

' |bhn Deihl t8_,0

Section 5 4U

Harmon Mallory 1840 Section 21

Peter Keever 1840 Thomas Harrison 1840

Thomas Murray 1840 John Deihl I84o

Section 6 Section 22

George Long 1840 Jonas Ruffner ^40

Section 7 Section 25

Tames Keever 1840 Richard Staige 1840

Section 8 Section 26

Israel Trask 1839 David McCoy 1840

James Keever 1840 Samuel Pitt 1840

John Deihl 1840 Section 27

Section 9 -Iohn Pitt' -Ir l84°

Elias Keever 1840 Rlchard Staige 1840

James A. Tool 1840 Section 28

Israel Trask 1839 Samuel Smith 1839

Freeman Shaw 1840 Th< imas Harrison 1840

Philip Baker 1840 c

r Section 29

Section 10 Thomas Harrison 1840

James A. Tool 1840 Jeremiah Smith, Sr 1839

Thomas Bras 1840 Samuel Smith 1839

Joshua Hedges 1840 Section 30

Elias Keever 1839 Davjd McCoy _ l84Q

Orrin Briggs 1839

Section 31

Section 1 1 Reuben Nichols 1840

James A. Tool 1840 Henry Creighton 1839

Isaac Z. Shuck 1840 William Cromley 1840

Joshua Hedges 1840 Thomas Harrison 1840

Section 14 Section 32

Albert Coonrod 1840 Samuel Smith 1840

John H. Benson 1840 Thomas J. Taylor 1840

Jonathan Parsons 1839 Isabell C. Anderson 1841

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

99

Section 33

Lewis Benedict 1840

Thomas Harrison 1840

Samuel Smith 1840

David McCoy 1840

Section 34

Samuel Pitt 1840

Richard Staige 1840

William Cromley 1840

Section 35

William H. Creighton 1839

James Gordon 1839

Section 36

Richard Staige 1840

William H. Creighton 1840

William Cromley 1840

LAND ENTRIES IN TOWNSHIP 73 NORTH, RANGE 3 WEST.

Section i Henry Warnstaff 1840

Section 2

James Warnstaff 1840

Sterling Seeley 1840

Section 3 John H. T. Gaff 1840

Sections 4, 5 and 6 were not entered until later, mostly in 1851 to 1853.

Section 7 John S. David 1840

Section 8

John S. David 1840

William Gregory 1844

Section 9 Nathan Gregory 1840

Section 10 Nathan Gregory 1840

Section 11

James W. Isett 1840

Daniel Biggs 1841

Sterling Seeley 1840

Section 12 James W. Isett 1840

Section 13

Reuben Wanzer 1840

James W. Isett 1840

Thadius Stoddard 1840

Section 14

James W. Isett 1840

Thomas L. Rose 1840

James Wilson 1840

John Atchison, Jr 1840

Section 15

Samuel Jamison 1840

Thomas Gregory 1840

Merit Jamison 1840

George Jamison 1840

John Davenport 1841

Section 17

Reuben P. Bolles 1840

John Smith 1840

Erastus Cowles 1840

Benjamin Cutburth 1840

Abraham Hill 1841

Section 18

John Dreskill 1839

Riley Dreskill 1839

John A. Lewin 1840

Jesse B. Webber 1840

Jesse and Silas Hamilton 1843

Section 19

John Smith 1840

Josiah Vertrees 1841

Thompson Brown 1842

James McClurkin 1844

James C. Brown 1845

H. C. Blake 1845

Section 20

Henry Hobbs 1840

Erastus Cowles 1840

Mathew McClurkin (Recorded as McLurkin) 1840

9986S1V

100

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

William Wooley 1840

Thomas D. Evans 1844

Section 21

Thomas Gregory 1840

Levi Gregory 1 840

Henry Hobbs 1839

John Davenport 1840

Garrett B. Garrison 1839

Tobias Brogan 1840

James Marshall 1840

Mathew McClurkin 1S40

lames Wooley 1840

William Wooley . 1840

Section 22

Samuel Jamison 1840

1 r« irge Jamison 1840

Albert Jamison 1840

Garret B. Garrison 1840

John Flack 1840

Section 23

John Millard 1839

David Hurley 1840

Benjamin Ogle 1847

Section 24

Samuel Smith 1840

George Newell 1842

Robert Newell 1843

Stephen Newell 1843

Section 25 John Deihl 1840

Section 26

John Deihl 1840

David Hurley 1840

James K. Williams 1840

David D. Webster 1842

Section 27

J. Nelson 1841

D. H. Fisher 1841

James K. Williams 1840

Section 28

Mathew McClurkin 1839

Thomas McClurkin 1842

James McClurkin 1844

Section 30

David A. Lough 1841

Josiah Vertrees 1840

David McClurkin 1845

Cicen > Hamilton 1845 -

James McClure 1 843

Section 3r

James Hamilton 1844

James M. Swan 1846

Henry M. Ochiltree 1848

Section 32

Samuel Barr 1840

James Popenoe •. . . . 1840

John O'Laughlin 1840

Decey O'Laughlin 1840

James Marshall 1840

Hamilton Brown 1846

John D. Welch 1845

Section 33

John O'Laughlin 1839

Samuel Barr 1840

John Wilson 1840

George W. C. Miller 1842

Section 34

John Flack 1840

Mark Davison 1840

John Wilson 1840

James Wilson 1840

John Brogan 1841

Section 35

John Flack 1840

Mark Davison 1840

Section 36

Reuben C. Mason 1840

James W. Isett 1840

Robert Newell 1842

LAND ENTRIES IN TOWNSHIP 73 NORTH, RANGE 4 WEST.

Section i

1 .ewis Benedict 1838

Samuel Dunham 1838

John Brent 1839

Thos. Swan 1839

Alex. Hunter . . . 1839

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

101

.1838

Section 2 George Key

Section 3

Joshua Marshall id

George Key 1839

Lewis Benedict 1839

John Brent 1839

Thomas Swan 1839

Alex. Hunter ^39

Section 4

Joseph Higbee 1839

Peter Curran 1839

Joshua Marshall 1838

John Bell 1838

Christian Clymer 1838

James W. Isett 1838

Section 5

Stephen S. Phelps 1838

Christian Clymer 1838

Section 6 Stephen S. Phelps 1838

Section 8

John Bell 1838

Thomas Bell 1838

George Hastie 1838

Section 9

George Key 1 838

Joshua Marshall 1838

Henry M. Ochiltree 1838

Thos. Bell 1838

John M. Isett 1839

Section 10

Philip B. Harrison 1838

George Key 1838

Samuel H. Berry 1838

Section 1 1

George Key 1838

Lewis Benedict 1838

James Isett 1838

Joseph Newhall 1839

Section 12

Samuel Dunham 1838

Alexander Marshall J839

Seth S. Ransom 1839

Section 14

Richard W. Gwinn 1838

Peter Curran 1838

Joshua Marshall 1838

James A. Carnahan 1838

Section 15 Peter Curran entered the whole sec- tion in 1838.

Section 21

James A. Carnahan 1838

Joseph Newhall 1839

Lincoln Goodall 1838

Section 22

Zadok Jarvis 1838

Richard W. Gwinn 1838

James A. Carnahan 1838

Thomas Bell 1838

Section 23

James D. Spearman 1838

John Bell 1838

Z. Jarvis 1838

Josiah Vertrees 1838

William Pearcy 1838

Section 24

William P. Brown 1838

George Hastie 1838

Christian Clymer 1838

Section 25

William P. Brown 1838

Robert Russell 1838

Peter Curran 1838

Section 26

Aaron Chamberlin 1838

Peter Curran 1838

Section 2j

John Bell 1838

William Pearcy 1838

Alexander Marshall 1839

Joseph Newhall 1839

Section ^

Joshua Marshall 1839

Peter Curran 1838

102 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Section 36 John Yv . Smith 1839

Robert Russell 1838 William Miller 1839

LAND ENTRIES IN TOWNSHIP "4 NORTH, RANGE 2 WEST.

Section 18 Elisha Searl 1840

David P. Herron 1840 Henry Doling 1840

William Harden 1S40

Section iq Section 31

Ephriam Morrison 1840 Geor^e L°n& l8*°

n,.< c , ,o.„ Tonathan E. Fletcher 1840

Elisha Searl 1840 -' ^

Section 20 Section 32

Elisha Searl 1840 William Harden 1840

Section 29 Elisha Searl 1840 Section 33

Section 30 William Harden 1840

Seth Richards 1840 James Guest 1839

LAND ENTRIES IN TOWNSHIP J4 NORTH, RANGE 3 WEST.

Section i Section 7

Henry Rockafellar 1840 Joel Bronson 1840

James Erwin, Jr 1840 Jas. F.lanchard 1840

James M. Cresswell 1840 Secf'on 8

Section 2 James Latta 1 840

John Cresswell 1839 William Kurts 1840

John Ronald 1840 Section 9

Alexander Williamson 1840 William Thompson 1840

Tohn Erwin 1840 ~ .

Section 10

Section 3 John F. Adams 1840

Caleb J. Vredenburg 1840 Thos. D. Killough 1840

Zachariah Salmon 1840 John Holmes 1840'

Section 4 Section 11

William Thompson 1840 Alexander Williamson 1840

William Shoemaker 1840 John Ronalds 1840

Charles W. Mullen 1 840 Joel C. Parsons 1844

c ,. Tohn Holmes 1840

Section 5

William Shoemaker 1840 Section 12

William Kurts 1840 James Guest 1840

James Latta 1840 John Ronalds 1840

Benjamin Phillips 1839 Richard Stevens 1840

Section 6 Section 13

James Reeder !83<) Levi Stevens 1840

James Latta 1S40 William F. Dickerson 1840

Zachariah Kurts 1S40 Samuel G. Chambers 1840

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

103

Joseph Mullen 1840

Section 14

Levi Stevens 1840

William F. Dickerson 1840

Section 15

Alexander Williamson 1840

Jonathan E. Fletcher 1840

Section 17

James Latta 1840

John Bayne 1840

Section 18 Joseph Story 1847

Section 19 Orren Stoddard 1840

Section 20 Jesse Evans 1840

Section 21

Thomas England 1840

Susanna Bevins 1840

Section 23

William Kennedy 1840

Isaac Smith 1840

Section 25 Joseph Stoner 1840

John H. Williamson 1840

Isaac Smith 1840

Section 26

William M. Clark 1840

James W. Isett 1840

David M. Harrison 1840

Jonathan E. Fletcher 1839

Section 27 (Wapello) William Milligan and Thomas England 1840

Section 28

James W. Isett 1840

William Milligan 1840

Jonathan C. Drake 1845

James Drake ^46

Section 34

William H. R. Thomas 1840

William M. Clark 1840

David M. Kilbourne 1840

Joseph Stoner 1840

"Jonathan E. Fletcher 1840

Section 36 Henry Warnstaft"

1839

LAND ENTRIES IN TOWNSHIP 74 NORTH, RANGE 4 WEST.

Section i

James Reeder 1 840

William Day 1840

Section 2

W. H. R. Thomas 1840

Jonathan E. Fletcher 1840

Darius Bouton 1853

Section 3

Jacob Triggs 1840

William Murdock 1840

Thos. Stoddard 1840

Samuel Morrison 1840

Samuel Woodside 1840

John McCoy 1840

Oliver P. Fulton 1840

Wm. Bowman 1843

Section 4

Henry Thompson 1840

William Latta 1839

Benjamin Stoddard 1840

Wesley W. Garner 1840

Section 5

Henry Thompson 1840

Bruce Johnson 1840

Jacob Triggs 1840

David Mortimer 1840

Samuel Morrison 1840

Section 6

Zebina Williams 1840

David Mortimer 1840

Jas. G. Hall 1840

Morris Hughes 1840

104

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Arthur Miller 1847

Francis Miller 1840

Joseph T. Hall 1840

Section 7

David Mortimer 1840

Daniel R. Paschal 1852

James G. Hall 1845

Section 8

John McCoy 1840

Michael McCoy 1840

David Glenn 1840

George Shaw 1842

Section 9

Thomas Stoddard 1840

Oliver P. Fulton 1840

John McCoy 1840

Evan H. Skillman T844

James H. Spafford 1849

Section 10

Joseph Gable 1842

Wm. Bowman 1843

Amos Hammond 184^

Samuel Woodside 1842

Section 1 1

James Manly 1844

Thomas Stoddard 1840

Robert Williams 1840

Kennedy Storey 1844

Joshua Rouse 184 ^

Section 12

Abraham Yan Gilder 1840

Dennis Williams 1840

Alfred Koons 1840

Thomas Bayne 1849

Section 13

Robert Williams 1840

Wm. Story ^44

Kennedy Story 1844

Joseph S. Burnam 1840

Section 14

Robert Williams 1840

Jonathan S. Rook 1840

Francis Ludlow 1845

Section 15

Lydia Jones 1841

Albert Jones 1842

Parkus Woodruff 1851

Pelech C. Brown 1849

Jacob Getts i8=;i

Section 17 William Rogers 1840

Section 18

David Glenn 1840

Solomon W. Ingham 1840

Section 19

Richard Slaughter 1840

Joseph Buffington 1849

H. B. Kirkpatrick 1852

Section 20

John Sellers 1840

John Marshall 1840

Section 21

Henry Griswold 1840

Samuel R. Isett 1840

William C. Rankin 1840

Section 22

Ananias Simpkins 1841

John Drake 1840

Eliza Ann Bunnell 1840

Oliver Ball ^50

Parkus Woodruff 18S2

Robert Gregory 1844

Section 2^

Edward Mincher 1840

Thomas Stoddard 1839

Oliver Ball 1850

Abraham Hill ^51

Section 24

Thomas Stoddard 1839

Abraham Hill 18^1

George Rouse 1843

Section 25

Sylvanus Dunham 1854

John H. Bragg ^46

Nehemiah Blake 1852

Ambrose W. Key 18^4

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

u>r>

Section 26

Joseph B. Nichols 1851

Xehemiah Blake 1851

Section 27

John Drake 1840

Richard Restine 1840

Jesse Van Horn 1848

Barrett Restine 1845

Alexander S. Buck 1846

Section 28

Henry Griswold 1840

James R. Isett 1839

James W. Isett 1840

Samuel R. Isett 1839

Section 29

John Marshall 1840

William Rogers 1840

Section 30

John Sellers 1840

William Rogers 1840

Section 31

Xelson R. Steele 1848

Miles White 1849

Section 33

Joseph Higbee 1840

Richard D. Harrison 1S40

Section 34

George Key 1840

Anannias Simpkins 1842

John Baldrige, Sr .l$47

Section 35

Eliza Bunnell 1840

George Key 1840

A. J. Campbell 1840

Oliver Benton 1848

Section 36

Solomon Avery 1840

George Key 1840

LAND ENTRIES IN TOWNSHIP 74 NORTH, RANGE 5 WEST.

Section i

James G. and Isaac G. Hall 1840

Thomas Neal 1840

Augustus Welch 1841

Section 2

Adam Reister 1840

Wm. and Ebenezer Stronach 1840

Wm. and Henry Marsden 1840

Jarrett Garner 1842

Henry A. Cleaver 1846

Henry R. Moore 185 1

Section 3

James Gray 1840

Wm. and Henry Marsden 1840

David Mortimore 1840

Hezekiah S. Denham 1848

Section 4

John Rees 1853

Jonathan A. Yenglin 1851

Section 5

John Morgan 1850

Adam Hood 1845

Reuben McGannon 1845

David Knowles 1851

Section 6

Samuel Buell 1840

Obadiah Walker 1852

Section 7

Zebina Williams 1853

Sam'l A. Frederick 185 1

Section 8

William W. White 1851

Benjamin Furlong 1851

Edwin Dorsey 1851

Section 9

Henry Hawkins 185 1

Samuel K. Helmick 1851

Section 10 Wm. and Henry Marsden 1840

Section 11

Zebina Williams 1840

Wm. and Ebenezer Stronach 1840

106 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Section [3 Section 23

Joseph L. Derbin 1840 Joseph Buffington 1840

James O. Buffington 1840 Orren Stoddard 1840

Isabel] McCrabb 1839 A. J. Kirkpatrick 1847

Isaac G. 1 fall 1 83" 1 Section 24

Joseph I tuffington 1840 joseph L Derbin 1840

Section 14 Isabell McCrabb 1839

Stephen May 1 845 Joseph Buffington 1840

Wm. and Ebenezer Stronach. . . . 1840 James McKay 1844

Orren Stoddard 1840 Sylvester Stackhouse 1845

Philip J. Buffington 1840 Section 31

Section -15 Neal Parrish 1840

Wm. and Henry Marsden 1840 Samuel Pierce 1840

LAND ENTRIES IN TOWNSHIP J$ NORTH, RANGE 3 WEST.

Sec. 1. Levi Thornton. 1839.

Sec. 2. Lot Thornton, 1839. Marcus Stamp, 1839. Levi Thornton, 1839. William J. Wilson, 1840.

Sec. 3. Jonathan E. Fletcher, 1839. Philip Wagner, 1843. Marcus W. Stamp. 1839.

Sec. 4. John McGrew, 1839. Alexis Phelps, 1839. Jesse B. Lutz, 1839. Marcus Stamp, 1839.

Sec. 8. Joel Hiatt, 1840. James C. Scott, 1839.

Sec. 9. Amos Willets, 1839. Jesse B. Lutz, 1839. Luther McVay, 1845. Alvin Barnett, 1839. James M. Yandevort, 1847.

Sec. 10. Landcn Taylor, 1845. Alvin Barnett. 1839. Amos Willets, 1839. Nicholas Lieberknecht, 1853.

Sec. 11. Levi Thornton. 1839. Jesse B. Lutz, 1831J. A. R. Alexander, 1843. Geo. Anderson. 1842.

Sec. 14. Spencer Wilson, 1839.

Sec. 15. John Taylor, 1839. John S. Biggs, 1839.

Sec. 17. Sylvanus Carey, 1839. Clark Alexander, 1839.

Sec. t8. Margaret Anthony. 1839. Thomas B. Shellabarger, 1839. Sam (Sem) Newell. 1839. Erastus Clark, 1839.

Sec. 19. Jacob Shellabarger, 1839. John P. Morris, 1839.

Sec. 20. Tohn Kendall, 1839. Andrew Kendall, 1839. John P. Morris,

1839.

Sec. 21. George Humphrey, 1839. Sylvanus Carey, 1839. Alexander Ross, 1830. Robert Humphrey, 1839. Joseph W. Dodder, 1842. John Kritzer, 1842.

Sec. 22. Martin Gray, 1839. Spencer Wilson, 1839. John Jewett, 1839.

Sec. 23. Martin Gray, 1839. John Jewett, 1839. Marcus W. Stamp. 1839. Joseph W. Dodder, 1842.

Sec. 24. Abram McCleary, 1839. Stephen Bell, 1831;. Andrew Kendall. 1841. (Wm. Beard. 1843 ).

Sec. 25. John C. McCleary, 1839. Joel Hiatt, 1839.

Sec. 26. George C. Stetts, 1830. William Fowler, 1839. John Kreuter, 1 841.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 107

Sec. 27. Joel Iliatt, 1839. Frederick F. Mark and Jas. Satcliill, 1839.

Sec. 28. Spencer Wilson. 1839. David P. Wilcox, 1839. Nathaniel F. Cisco, 1839. John C. McCleary, 1839.

Sec. 29. James Latta, 1839. Samuel Latta, 1839. William Thompson, 1839. John Thompson, 1839.

Sec. 30. Martin Gray, 1839. Robert Gray, 1839. William Thompson, 1839.

Sec. 31. Thomas Wainright, 1839. William Reeder, 1839. Micajah Reeder,

1839. William Thompson, 1839.

Sec. 32. John Thompson, 1839. William Thompson, 1839.

Sec. 33. Abram McCleary, 1839. Andrew J. Stark, 1839. William Thomp- son, Jr., 1839. John C. McCleary, 1839.

Sec. 34. John C. McCleary, 1839. Nathaniel F. Cisco, 1839. Andrew Ken- dall, 1841.

Sec. 35. John Creswell, 1839. Frederick F. Mark and Jas. Satchell, 1839.

Sec. 36. George Hunt, 1839. John Creswell, 1839. George and Robert Humphrey, 1839.

LAND ENTRIES IN TOWNSHIP 75 NORTH, RANGE 4 WEST.

Sec. i. John Storm, 1853. Harrison Foster, 1851. Charles R. Hadley,

1851-

Sec. 2. Adam Litrel, 185 1. Alexander Collins, 1853.

Sec. 3. David Riggs, 1853. John Idle, 1854.

Sec. 4. Geo. W. Gipple, 1854. Reeve Edgington, 1842. James Bedwell,

1840. Samuel Bedwell, 1846. Sec. 5. James Bedwell, 1840.

Sec. 8. James Bedwell, 1840. John Knott, 1840.

Sec. 10. Thomas Dowson, 1853. Peter D. Frazier, 1853. Elizabeth Newell, 1853. Stephen Eldredge, 1853. Geo. Townsley, 1852.

Sec. 11. Harrison Foster, 185 1. John Knott, 1840. Elizabeth Townsley. 1852.

Sec. 12. William Beard, 1840. Adrana Beard, 1840. Thompson Tilford, 1840.

Sec. 13. James Newell, 1839. Jacob Shellabarger, 1840. Margaret Wil- liamson, 1842.

Sec. 14. Alexander Finley, 1840. Napoleon B.'and Alfred Lenox, 1840.

Sec. 15. N. M. Letts, 1854. John Idle, 1854.

Sec. 17. Joseph and Peter Blake, 1840. Truman G. Clark, 1840. Samuel Lucky, 1844.

Sec. 18. William Blake, 1840. Joseph and Peter Blake, 1840.

Sec. 19. Levi Rice, 1840.

Sec. 20. Alvin Clark, 1840. Edmund C. Whipple, 1844. Daniel Winchell, 1840.

Sec. 21. Daniel Winchell, 1840. George Shaw, 1851. Chandler W. Ells- worth, 1853. Elias Marshall, 1854.

Sec. 22. Thomas Newell, 1841. William Todd, 1840, John Roddan, 1840.

Sec. 23. Thomas Newell, 1841. William Paullins, 1841. Christopher Spurgeon, 1846.

Sec. 24. Jacob Shellabarger, 1840. Thomas B. Shellabarger, 1840. Asa Worthan, 1839.

108 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Sec. 25. James Latta, 1840. John Roddan, 1840.

Sec. 26. John Creswell, 1840. John B. Creswell, 1839. John F. Adams, 1840.

Sec. 2j. John Rodan, 1840.

Sec. 28. Horace Pease, 1851. Samuel E. Whipple. 1850.

Sec. 29. Barstow Williams, 1840. Robert Williams, 1840.

Sec. 30. Levi Rice, 1840. David Mortimer, 1840. Isaac Knox, 1840.

Sec. 31. Robert Wilson, 1840. Jacob Martin, 1839. Levi Rice, 1840.

Sec. 32. Lathrop Francis, 1840. Samuel Morrison, 1840. Barstow Wil- liams, 1840. Robert Wilson, 1840.

Sec. 33. Jacob Triggs, 1840. Benjamin Stoddard, 1840. Zebinah Williams, 1840. James Vanorsdol, 1840.

Sec. 35. Jeremiah Browning, 1848.

Sec. 36. William Reeder, 1839. Thomas Wainright, 1841. James H. Tucker, 1840. Micajah Reeder. 1840. James Reeder, 1840.

LAND ENTRIES IN TOWNSHIP 75 NORTH, RANCH 5 WEST.

Sec. 1. John Brown, 1843.

Sec. 2. William McGrew, 1840. John Flack, 1841. Wilson Giffm, 1852.

Sec. 3. Josah J. Orr. 1851. James A. Duncan, 1851. M. W. Edmondson, 1851.

Sec. 4. James McAllister, 1840.

Sec. 5. John Hetfield, 1854. Hamilton Johnston, 1852.

Sec. 8. Edwin Woodring, 1853.

Sec. 9. Alexander Story, 1854.

Sec. 11. John Q. and Stephen B. Thompson. 1842. Elisha Shepherd, 1840 John Flack, 1840.

Sec. 13. David Flack, 1840. Benjamin Tripp, 1840. Wm. J. R. Flack, 1840. Alexander Story. 1853.

Sec. 14. Augustus Welch, 1841. Michael Ayres, 1842. James K. Duncan, 1846. William T. Blair, 1852. James Tedford, 1853.

Sec. 15. George B. Duncan, 1846. Dehart Reed. 1846. William Lewis, 1843.

Sec. 18. James P. Bailey, 1852.

Sec. 21. George Darrow, 1853.

Sec. 22. Abraham Marion, 1854. John Orr, 1854. W. G. Allen, 1854.

Sec. 23. George Snook, 1840. Josiah Lucky, 1841.

Sec. 24. Samuel Knauss, 1840. John Read, 1840. Jacob Wren, 1840. Wil- liam Winters, 1840. Henry Snook, 1840.

Sec. 25. Zadok Calhoun, 1840. Isaac Dewein, 1840.

Sec. 26. Jacob Wren, 1840. Zadok Calhoun, 1840. James Knauss, 1840.

Sec. 27. George Snook, 1840. Francis A. Duncan, 1852. Isaac Knox, 1841. John Marion, 1846.

Sec. 30. Nathaniel Prime, 1840. John Hendel, 1840.

Sec. 31. Samuel Buell, 1840. Jerusha Buell, 1840. David Patterson, 1840.

Sec. 32. Elias Buell, 1840. David Tudor, 1842. Thomas Rees, 1842.

Sec. 33. Evan Thomas, 1842. William Lewis 1842. William Jones, 1851. F. A. Duncan, 1853.

Sec. 34. Francis A. Duncan, 1847. Andrew Duncan, 1847. John Wilson, 1842. Joseph Gable, 1842.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

109

Sec. 35. Silas Henkle, 1840. James Caret, 1841. James M. Quimby, 1X45. John Cleaves, 1845. Adam Reister, 1840.

Sec. 36. David Dix. 1839. Zadok Calhoun, 1840. James M. Robertson, 1841. Edward F. Wilson, 1841. James G. Hall, 1840.

LAND ENTRIES IN TOWNSHIP j6, RANGE 5.

John Clark, 1841. Josiah B. Hollingsworth, 1841. ■

John Clark, 1841.

Adam Crim, 1851. Samuel Knauss, 1846.

Ward Blake, 1841. Garret Allumbaugh, 1851. Shakespeare Mc-

William Nelson. 1848. Joseph Blake. 1840.

John Dyer, 1840.

Patrick Colton, 1842.

Andrew Gamble, 1844.

William Colton, 1844.

John Hanna Armstrong, 1840. James B. McAllister, 1840.

John Brown, 1846. Wm. Ireland, 1841. Ward Blake, 1841.

Sec.	6.
Sec.	7-
Sec.	17-
Sec.	25-
Cee, 1849.
Sec.	26.
Sec.	27.
Sec.	28.
Sec.	30-
Sec.	33-
Sec.	34-
Sec.	36.

CHAPTER IX. POLITICS AND ELECTIONS.

EARLY ELECTIONS — VOTE ON NEW CONSTITUTION THE SOLDIERS' TICKET — PRIMARY

ELECTION ADOPTED — FIRST WHIG CONVENTION IN IOWA REPUBLICAN PARTY

ORGANIZED.

We know that there were elections held in the county in March or April, 1837, and also on the 6th of May, 1837. At this latter election Isaac Parsons was elected coroner. This fact is recited in his official bond ; but we have been unable to find any returns of elections held in the county prior to the one held on March 5, 1838, and all we have found relating to that election consists of (1) election returns from Wapello, (2) election returns from Iowatown, and (3) canvass of election. The return from Wapello is as follows: "Poal book of an election held at Wapello, W. T., on the first Monday in March, Eighteen Hundred and Thirty-eight, for the perpose of the election of county and town officers." Then follow the names of electors, numbering 74, then the tally list showing the various candidates voted for and the number of votes for each one. This tally list shows that the vote for county commissioners was as follows: William Milligan, 40; John Ronalds, 18; William L. Toole, 55; George Humphrey, 8 ; Philip B. Harrison, 35 ; Charles D. Gillem, 35 ; Alvin Clark, 5. For assessor the vote was: William H. R. Thomas, 34; John Bevins, 35. There were a number of candidates voted for for constable. Those re- ceiving the highest votes were: C. M. McDaniel, 34; A. J. Bevins, 46; William W. Adams, 53: David Herron, 24; and Samuel Scott, 20.

The judges of this election were S. S. Gourley, Josiah Lewis and V. P. Bunnell. The clerks were J. S. Rinearson and W. H. Sheldon. Among the list of names as voting in Wapello were the following: William H. R. Thomas, James M. Clark, Daniel Brewer, Tacob Martin, Jeremiah Smith, Aaron Springer, Peter Wigant, Silas Crisman, C. A. Ballard, Mahlon Wright, John O'Laughlin, William Fleming, James Ervvin, Peter Blake, Robert Lee, Henry Thompson.

The returns from Iowatown are all on one sheet of paper. The names of the voters are given first, then the tally list and then the certificate, which is as follows : "At an election at the house of William Dupont, of Iowatown, Louisa county, and Territory of Wisconsin, on the 5th day of March, 1838, the above named persons Rec'd. the number of votes annext to their respective names for the above named offices. Certified by us, John Deihl, Christopher Shuck, William Dupont, judges of election ; Samuel Smith and William Guthrie, clerks of election."

The vote on commissioners at Iowatown was : P. B. Harrison, 28 ; W. L. Tool, 20; WT. Milligan, 11 ; C. D. Gillem, 7; George Umphrey. 7; J. Reynolds, 1.

Ill

112 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

There were nine persons voted for for constable, the four highest being: W. Shuek. 19; C. M. McDaniel, 21 ; Samuel Scott, 17; M. P. Mitchell, 10.

The vote on assessor was: J. Bevins. 13 ; Thomas, 16.

For treasurer: Christopher Shuck, 17; Z. Inghram, 1.

For coroner: I. Parsons had 1.

The names of thirty voters are given. Among them are the following: James Gordon, Samuel Pitt, James Larew, Jonathan Welch, John J. Kern, John Pitt, Sr., David Russell, Jefferson Frizel. James Wilson, David Linn, R. P. Burlin- game.

The canvass of the election was made by William Miliigan and Isaac H. Rinearson, justices of the peace, on March 10, 1838, and it is apparent from the number of votes which they found cast for the different candidates that vot- ing was done at one or two more places beside Wapello and Iowatown. Black Hawk was probably one of these voting places. The canvass shows as follows :

For county commissioners: William Miliigan, 89; John Ronalds, 48; Wil- liam L. Toole. 112: George Humphrey, 41; Philip B. Harrison, 80: Charles D. Gillem, 43; Alvin Clark, 63; William Fowler, 1.

For assessor: William H. R. Thomas, 96; John Bevins, 70.

The list of persons voted for for constables contains 13 names. We give a few of the highest : C. M. McDaniel, 71 ; Samuel Scott, 63 ; W. W. Adams, 68; David P. Herron, 14; William L. Warren, 56; M. P. Mitchell, 50: A. I. Bevins, 47.

There was also an election held on September 10, 1838. The only papers we find relating to it among the county archives are the returns from Black Hawk. Fredonia and Wapello. The election at Wapello was held at the house of S. S. Gourley in the town of Upper Wapello.

W. W. Chapman had 48 votes for delegate to congress; David Rorer had 31 ; B. F. Wallace had 19; and Peter Hill Engle had 2.

For the Council, James M. Clark had 91 votes, and Eli Reynolds, 7.

For representative William L. Toole had 68; John Ronalds had 61; Levi Thornton, 39; Hiram Smith, 66; S. C. Hastings, 16; Samuel Woodsides, 28.

There were 101 votes polled at this election in Wapello. Among them we note John Drake, the two Gregorys, Nathan and Levi, Zebina Williams, Samuel Chany, Thomas Bane. T. L. Rose, William M. Clark, Richard W. Gwinn, Philip J. Buffington.

We also find on this list the names of Ely Ronalds and John Friason, in- tended for two Muscatine county citizens, Eli Reynolds and John Frierson. They were down here, no doubt, electioneering for John Frierson for representa- tive, and under the law as it existed at that time, they had a right to vote for members of the council and house of representatives anywhere in the district. At that time Louisa, Muscatine and Slaughter (Washington) counties were in the same district.

The return from Black Hawk shows that the election was held at the house of E. Hook in the town of Black Hawk. Chapman had 25 votes; Rorer, 18; Wallace, 1.

For member of the council, James M. Clark had 44 votes, being the whole number of votes cast.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

113

For representative, William L. Toole had 41 votes and the other leading candidates at this precinct were Levi Thornton, Silas S. Lathrop, Samuel Wood- side and John Ronalds.

Notwithstanding the fact that the sheriff at that time was to be appointed by the governor, the people of Black Hawk expressed their preference by 31 for- McDaniel to 8 for Thomas.

Among those voting at Black Hawk that day were the following: Valentine Faulkner. John H. Benson, the two Mallorys, Riley and Harmon, Albert Cadwell, Isaac D. Nevill, James Guest, Ward Noyes, William Fleming, Orrin Briggs, Elias Keever, Israel Trask and Maxamilian Eastwood.

The election at Fredonia at this time was held at the house of Truman G. Clark and there were 26 votes cast. Among the names of the voters we find Robert W. Gray. James Bedwell, Francis W. Newel, William Todd, Marvel Wheelock and Alexander E. Black. Chapman got all but one of the votes for delegate to congress.

The first election held in 1839 was on the 4th of March, and we have the canvass made of the returns for that election and copy it entire :

"A canvass of the returns of an election held on the 4th of March, 1839, for electing a seat of justice and three county commissioners for Louisa county, Iowa Territory, done before William Milligan and Hiram Smith, two acting justices of the peace for said county and in pursuance of the laws of the territory, in such case made and provided.

	c .top	2	E	M	inn rsons				c 0	c 0 en	M	•v
Election Precincts	1 c %	U \- 0 Pi	-4-1 U	u "3 Sh en	C	3 c		O (J	0	1— < 1 — I	B .2 $ <	M Ph'	O H	Pi a 0	>> it u O	V u
Wapello . . .	94	5	89	45	2;	5 9	18	2	2
Harrison . . .	. 11	26	7			. 6		6		3i	12
Blackhawk .	. 12	28	22	3		• 32		10		1		1
Florence . . .	• 25		29	8		■ 24		5
Fredonia . . .			38	5								37	30
Grandview .	9	18	8			6	1	11				17	5
Guinns ....	19		21	16										6
Halls	• i"	6	22	12			3					2			17

187 83 256 89 23 72 22 34 2 32 12 57 35 6 17

Iowa Territory, Louisa County.

I hereby certify that on this 14th day of March, 1839, I having received the election returns from all the election precincts, where elections were held at the above election precincts did open canvass and examine the same in the presence of the above named justices at the office of Thomas & Springer, Esqs. and find that William Milligan, Wright Williams and Israel Clark have received the

Vol. 1—8

114 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

highest number of votes. They are therefore hereby declared duly elected com- missioners for said county.

"John Gilliland, "Clk. to Board of Comrs."

"Guinns" was at Virginia Grove; "Hall's" was probably James G. Halls, then on Long Creek; and Calins was Hugh Calins, or Callans, which was on the east side of the Iowa river in the north part of section i, township 75 north, range 5.

It will be noted that this canvass states that it is of the returns of the elec- tion for locating a seat of justice and also county commissioners but as ex- plained in a previous chapter the law authorizing an election for a seat of justice provided that the sheriff should canvass that vote, and this is doubtless why the canvass of the vote on that question was not set out with the other.

There was also an election held on the 5th of August, 1839. The canvass of the returns for this election only shows votes cast in six precincts, viz: Wapello, Florence, Black Hawk, Harrison, Grandview and Fredonia, and it also shows the vote cast in Washington county for representative, there being two to elect. Louisa county gave Jacob Mintun 123 votes, and Daniel Brewer 1 1 2 votes, and these were the successful candidates.

The other leading candidates in this county were Levi Thornton, 98 votes ; William L. Toole, 92 votes ; John Ronalds, 80 votes ; William H. R. Thomas, 69 votes.

None of the Louisa county candidates received very many votes in Wash- ington county, the bulk of that vote being cast for Thomas Baker, who had 72, and Horace Carley, who had 58.

The following items of interest we take from an examination of the elec- tion returns for 1840. In Wapello precinct there were 114 votes polled.

For delegate to congress, A. C. Dodge had 68 votes ; and Alfred Rich, 46.

For member of the council, Daniel Brewer had 59 votes; and Francis Springer, 54.

For representative, John Ronalds had 59 votes, and William L. Toole, 52.

For sheriff, C. M. McDaniel had 62 votes, and William H. R. Thomas, 49.

For treasurer, George F. Thomas had 74; Asa Mallory, 15; and Cicero M. Ives. 10.

At this election two questions were submitted. One was for holding a con- stitutional convention and the other was on the question of township organ- ization. Wapello cast 33 votes for a convention, and 40 against ; and 52 votes for township organization, and 9 against.

An election was held in Virginia Grove that year according to the returns, at the house of R. W. Gwinn. This is the election of October 5th and there were 27 votes cast.

Among the voters names we find those of Thomas and Samuel Bell, Bayard Grubb, Samuel Dunham, James Higbee, Robert R. Mickey, John R. Mickey, Zadok Jarvis, George Key, William P, Brown. Henry M. Ocheltree.

Dodge carried this precinct by 1 majority; Brewer carried it by 12 majority; and Ronalds for representative, by ti majority. The vote for a constitutional convention was 2 ; and against, 24.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 115

The election at Florence this year was held at the house of P. B. Harrison and there were 31 votes cast.

Dodge and Rich for congress each had 15 votes; for council Springer had 18; Brewer 9; for representative, Toole had 17, and Ronalds 12.

For a convention the vote was 4, and against, 11, and the majority in favor of township organization was 4.

We learn from the election returns for Black Hawk that they had already erected a schoolhouse there, as the election was held in it. Black Hawk seems to have gone overwhelmingly for the whig candidates.

For congress Rich had 46, Dodge 7; for the council, Springer 50, and Brewer 2; for representative, Toole 49, and Ronalds 4.

On the question of township organization the vote was 46 for to 2 against, but we find no return in regard to the convention.

The return of the election held in the "town of Grandview and precinct of Warren" shows that there were 31 votes cast, the whig candidates receiv- ing about 20 majority.

The election of October 5, 1840, is the first one of which we find any re- turn from Columbus City precinct. The return states that the election for that precinct was held at the house of Adam Reister in Columbus City. The whig candidates had from 10 to 20 majority in the precinct. The judges of this election were John Reed, Wright Williams and Samuel Woodside ; and the clerks were Bruce Johnson and Joshua Gore.

We find no returns from Fredonia for this election, nor does the canvass of this vote seem to have been preserved. These returns show that Rich, the whig candidate, carried the county over Dodge by a vote of 163 to 153; that Springer carried it over Brewer by a vote of 207 to 118; and Toole carried it over Ronalds by 198 to 128.

Following is the vote by precincts on the two questions submitted in 1840 so far as returns are to be found :

For Against For Against

Convention Convention Organization Organization

Fredonia 20 19 11 6

Virginia Grove 2 24 18 5

Columbus City . . 10 46

Grandview 21 1 26 o

Wapello 33 45 52 9

Jefferson . . 46 2

Florence 4 11 15 11

Harrison o 13

80 113 178 79

In 1 84 1 at the election held August 2d, Rich and Dodge ran again for con- gress, Rich receiving 233 votes and Dodge, 190.

William L. Toole was elected representative over Jacob Mintun by 220 to 192. For probate judge George L. Coe had 205 votes and John J. Rinearson 143.

116 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

For county commissioner Wright Williams had 307, Henry Warnstaft" 89.

George F. Thomas for treasurer, and John Gilliland for surveyor were elected by large majorities.

There were several candidates for assessor, resulting in the election of William H. R. Thomas.

The April elections of this year in Columbus City and in Grandview were held in schoolhouses at those places.

The returns for the elections held in 1N42 are not all to be found. In the \ugust election this year the question of "convention or no convention" was again submitted to the people. The vote on that question was given by word of mouth, and in most of the returns that are yet to be found it was stated after each voter's name how he voted on this question. Generally speaking, although there were many exceptions to the rule, the whigs voted against a convention and the democrats for a convention.

At this election the whigs again carried the county, Francis Springer being elected to the council over Samuel Woodside, and Joseph Newell elected repre- sentative over Daniel Brewer. George Gillaspy was a candidate for county assessor but was defeated by David Hurley.

In 1843 at the October election, the democrats were successful, carrying the county by a small majority for Dodge for delegate to congress, and electing George W. McCleary to the territorial house of representatives. In 1844 tne question of calling a constitutional convention looking to the organization of the territory into a state was again submitted to the people and was carried in the territory by the vote of 6,719 for, to 3,974 against, and in Louisa county by a vote of 256 for a convention to 249 against ft. There were a great many candidates for delegates to the constitutional convention, this county being entitled to 3. Those elected were Dr. John W. Brookbank, William L. Toole and Wright Williams. These men were all whigs.

Among the democrats voted on as candidates for delegates to this conven- tion were Jacob Mintun, Isaac Parsons. John Bell and several others.

ft will be remembered that the constitution adopted by this convention was not ratified by the people on account of the boundaries proposed for the new state by the act of congress, and the constitution which had been once rejected by the people was again submitted to them in 1845, and again rejected, this county casting 165 votes for it and 415 against it. George W. McCleary was reelected representative by a vote of 312 to 287 for Dr. James M. Robertson, who lived at Columbus City. We can see cropping out at this election the rivalry between the north end and the south end of the county, which in after years brought on so many bitter conflicts. Dr. Robertson got all but one of the votes in Fredonia township and all hut two votes in Columbus City and had 161 majority in the three townships of Grandview. Fredonia and Columbus City, while Mr. McCleary had 186 majority in the townships of Wapello, Florence and Jefferson.

At this same election Enoch Ross, of Washington county, was elected a member of the council for the counties of Louisa, Washington, Keokuk and Mahaska, receiving 919 votes in the four counties as against 906 votes cast for William R. Harrison.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 117

In 1846 a new constitutional convention was ordered and John Ronalds was elected the delegate from Louisa county, Ronalds receiving 186 and Alexander McCall 184. The results of the work of this convention were satisfactory to the people in regard to the boundary and the constitution framed by it was ratified, though it had a number of objectionable features. The first election in Iowa after it became a state, was held on October 26, 1846, for the election of two members of congress. At that time the state had not been divided into congressional districts and both members were voted for all over the state.

In Louisa county G. C. R. Mitchell received 351 votes; Joseph H. Hedrick, 339 votes ; S. C. Hastings, 307 ; and Shepherd Leffler, 297. At the same time state and county officers were elected for the new state. Ansel Briggs, demo- crat, was elected governor but the whig candidate, Thomas McKnight, carried Louisa county by 65 majority. The candidates for state senator from Louisa and Washington counties were Francis Springer, whig, John Bell, Jr., democrat, the former receiving in the two counties 656 votes to 480 for John Bell.

The candidates for representative in Louisa were Wright Williams and Joseph L. Derbin, Mr. Williams having 78 majority.

The candidates for county prosecutor at this time were Edward H. Thomas and John Bird, and if their contest was as warm as it was close, they must have had a lively time, for Mr. Thomas had 313 and Mr. Bird had 312; James McKay was elected clerk of the district court on October 26, 1846, but began his term February 2, 1847. On April 5, 1847 tne question of licensing the liquor traffic was submitted to the people of the state, the vote in this county being 198 for license, and 271 against.

By the time the election of 1847 came around the state had been divided into two congressional districts, Louisa county being in the second. Thomas McKnight carried Louisa county by 103 majority over Shepherd Leffler. At this election James Harlan and Charles Mason were opposing candidates for the office of state superintendent of public instruction. Mr. Harlan carried Louisa county by 128 majority and surprised the state by being elected.

At the election held in August, 1848, the candidates for clerk were James McKay and George W. McCleary. Mr. McKay received 326 votes and Mc- Cleary 286. Mr. McKay resigned before the close of his term and started for California in search of gold, but died of cholera on the way there.

The candidates for county prosecutor at this election were Robert C. Bur- chell, whig, and Hugh D. Reed, democrat. Both lived in Columbus City, Mr. Burchell's principal occupation being that of a tailor, while Mr. Reed was a blacksmith. Mr. Burchell was elected by a little over 100 majority.

Oliver Benton and Wesley W. Garner were whig and democratic candidates for school fund commissioner, Mr. Benton being elected by 35 majority, while Wright Williams was elected representative over Colonel John Bird, with a majority of 60.

The candidates for congress were Timothy Davis and Shepherd Leffler. The latter was elected but Davis carried the county.

In 1849 Samuel Smith and Samuel Rocka feller were the leading candidates for sheriff, Mr. Smith being successful.

In April, 1850, John Bird was elected county prosecutor to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of R. C. Burchell, and at the August election there

118 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

was a spirited contest between Mr. Bird and Francis Springer for this same office, Mr. Bird being defeated by a small majority.

At the same election Robert F. Newell was elected clerk to the board of county commissioners over E. H. Thomas.

Jacob Mintun was elected clerk, receiving 387 votes as against 300 for Ben R. Thomas.

In 1 85 1 occurred the first election for county judge. There were four can- didates, Wright Williams receiving 367 votes, Merit Jamison 316, William L. Toole 75, and John Ronalds 48.

Francis Springer resigned as county prosecutor and at this election Colonel Bird again ran for prosecuting attorney against Edward H. Thomas, and de- feated Mr. Thomas by a few votes.

Also at this election Samuel McCullough was elected supervisor, his office being that of road supervisor for the county. So far as we have been able to find, he is the only man ever elected to that office in this county.

At the election in August, 1852. James Noffsinger, who though a lawyer, was also editor of the Louisa County Times, was nominated by the whig con- vention for prosecuting attorney, but at first declined for the reason, as he stated, that he did not believe the county desired him for that office. Later he reconsidered his declination, believing that he had been mistaken the first time, and those who were opposed to him put up Charles H. Abbott of Oak- land township, who was an extensive dealer in land but not a practicing lawyer. The contest resulted in Mr. Abbott being elected by a vote of 432 to 377.

At this election Louisa county was entitled to and voted for two repre- sentatives, the whigs nominating Dr. John Cleaves and J. B. Latta, the demo- crats nominating Micajah Reeder and John Bird. The result, politically speak- ing, was a drawn battle. Cleaves and Reeder being elected.

In November occurred the presidential election, the democrats carrying the county by a vote of 468 to 368, Fredonia township being the only one carried by the whigs.

At the April election of 1855. two important questions were submitted to the people. One was the question of the adoption of a prohibitory liquor law, and this time the proposition carried in the county by a vote of 619 to 389. Concord and LJnion townships voted against it by small majorities. In Grand- view township the vote was 103 for and 100 against. The largest majority was in Columbus City township, where the proposition was carried by 122. The other townships gave fair majorities for it.

The other question was submitted by the county judge, Francis Springer, upon the proposition of buying a farm upon which to erect a poor house ; it carried by 690 to 309, although Grandview township gave 100 majority against it.

1856 may well be called the year of elections in Louisa county, there having been elections held in January, April, June, July, August and November. Sev- eral of these were on questions connected with railroad subscriptions. One of these elections was a special election held on July 1st, because Representa- tive J. C. Lockwood had resigned and moved out of the state. The candidates were Dr. John Bell, Jr. and Lewis Kinsey, the latter being elected.

The democratic convention, held at Wapello on July 19, was presided over by Samuel Hamilton, and Dr. B. G. Neal was secretary. The principal busi-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 119

ness of this convention seems to have been to nominate a candidate for repre- sentative and prosecuting attorney, and to select delegates to the convention of Washington and Louisa counties, at Crawfordsville, to nominate a repre- sentative for the floating district. On motion of D. N. Sprague, Dr. B. G. Neal was nominated for representative and Joseph Paschal for prosecuting attorney. The delegates elected to the Crawfordsville convention were D. N. Sprague, W. S. Allen, William Keach, Isaac Paschal and William Stewart. A set of resolutions were adopted, one of which was as follows :

"Resolved, That this convention do not sympathize, but on the other hand, repudiate all interference in the political organizations in other states and terri- tories, whether such interference comes from the north or from the south ; also that while we recognize the principle of self defense and preservation, that this convention repudiate all sympathy with ruffianism, murder or treason, let it come in any form, or shape, person or quarter."

At the August election N. W. Burris was elected representative over Dr. B. G. Neal.

It was at this election that John Hale was first elected county clerk, his opponent being C. P. Woodard.

At this same election the people voted on a proposition to revise or amend the constitution, which proposition carried in Louisa county by a vote of 1,057 to 36.

At the November election following, the candidates from this county for delegate to the constitutional convention were Francis Springer and Levi Chase, Springer receiving 1,011 votes and Chase 707.

At the April election of 1857, Alexander Ross and Robert F. Newell were candidates for drainage commissioner, Mr. Ross being elected.

At the same time William J. R. Flack was elected county assessor over Joseph Blake, and Whitney S. Kremer was elected county surveyor over George P. Sherwood.

In August, 1857, there was an exciting county election, the republican can- didates being Samuel Townsend for county judge, John L. Grubb for recorder and treasurer, A. M. Taylor for sheriff, J. C. Sterlin for coroner and W. S. Kremer for surveyor. The democratic candidates were Joseph L. Derbin for county judge, William A. Colton for recorder and treasurer, William Stewart for sheriff, John Studdard for coroner and Robert F. Newell for surveyor. On county judge the vote was 725 for Derbin to 711 for Townsend. Dr. Colton had 85 majority over Grubb, Sheriff Taylor had 214 majority over Stewart, and Mr. Kremer had 113 majority over Newell. Studdard, the demo- cratic candidate for coroner, had 29 majority.

One of the live issues in this county that year was on the question of adopt- ing or repudiating the new constitution which was to be voted on on the 3d of August.

The republican county convention was held at Wapello, July 18th, and adopted the following resolution :

"Resolved that in the constitution presented to the people for their suffrages at the August election, we see embraced those modifications of the old which the growing wants of the state demand.

120 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

"Resolved. That Louisa county will give 600 majority for the new constitu- tion."

At the democratic convention held on July 20th. the following resolutions were adopted :

"Resolved that the new constitution that is to be submitted at the ensuing election to the voters of this state for their approval, is a burlesque, in that it attempts to make the negro a privileged character, the equal, and in some re- spects, the superior — in the point of political privilege — to the freeborn Ameri- can citizen.

"Resolved, That the creation of an unnecessary legislative body, the expense thereof, and the unlimited power conferred thereon to legislate upon all local questions pertaining to our district or common schools, compelling us to educate the negro in the same school and upon equality with our children, would be productive only of evil to the common schools of our state.

"Resolved, That the democratic party will use all honorable means in this county to defeat the constitution as now submitted."

The new constitution was approved in the county by a vote of 698 to 473. The vote by townships was as follows :

Townships [-', >r Against

Columbus City 220 76

Eliot 19 27

Elm Grove 38 10

Grand view ". 102 96

Marshall 62 26

Port Lousia y^ 21

Union 29 8

Wapello 155 209

Total 698 473

Following were rejected for informalities :

Oakland 20 43

Jefferson ■ 83 79

Morning Sun 68 63

Concord 2<) 63

The proposition to strike the word "white" out of the constitution was voted on at the same time, but many failed to vote on it. It was defeated — the vote being 120 for, to 234 against.

Beginning with the year 1858, a record has been kept in the auditor's office, in which most of the elections have been recorded and within a few years after (his the election returns were published first in the census reports, and later in the official register published by the state, and we deem it unnecessary to take up more space in regard to the elections.

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HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 121

In 1858 was the first county seat contest between Wapello and Columbus City, and the vote upon this question will be found in the chapter on Columbus City.

In 1865 political affairs in this county took on a rather strange phase and there was considerable apparent changing of party lines. The republican con- vention met August 5, 1865, and nominated Dr. J. M. Robertson for state senator, and N. T. Drown for representative; S. E. Jones for county judge; W. S. Kremer for treasurer; E. B. Lacey for sheriff; A. Millmine for school superintendent; and W. C. Blackstone for surveyor and James Semple, for coroner.

The opposition convention was held September 2, 1865, under the name of the soldiers' convention. This convention was called by numerous bills posted over the county for sometime before, inviting the soldiers and those opposed to negro equality to meet in mass convention at the court house to nominate a county ticket. The account in the newspapers of that date says that at the opening pro- ceedings the court room was crowded, partly by those who were opposed to any- thing that "smelt of nigger" and partly by soldiers who had recently returned home, but before proceedings were commenced it became known that the soldiers were not in sympathy with the opposition to negro equality and it is said that when Lieutenant B. F. Wright called the meeting to order he explained that the call did not mean exactly what it said in regard to soldiers being invited, but only meant that soldiers who were opposed to negro equality were invited. Trie fol- lowing candidates were nominated by the convention : For senator, James S. Hurley; for representative, O. H. P. Linn; for county judge, B. F. Wright; for treasurer, Captain W. G. Allen ; for sheriff, J. Price McDaniel ; for school super- intendent, D. H. Cushman; for surveyor. Major Thomas W. Bailey; for coroner, A. C. Scull.

Neither Mr. Hurley nor Captain Allen were present at the convention and both immediately announced their refusal to run on the so-called soldiers' ticket. Subsequently, N. M. Letts was placed on the ticket as a candidate for senator and Abram Fulton as a candidate for treasurer. The soldiers' convention adopted a set of resolutions, among which was one sustaining the administration and reconstruction policy of President Johnson, and another in opposition to negro suffrage, or to striking the word "white" out of the constitution.

There was a lively campaign as a result of this so-called soldiers' movement and the soldiers' ticket was supported largely, though not entirely, by the demo- cratic voters, although nearly all the candidatei were republicans. The republi- can ticket, or, as it was called during this campaign, the union ticket, was suc- cessful. The republican, or union candidate, for governor was Wm. M. Stone, and he received 1,114 votes to 832 for Benton; for senator, Dr. J. M. Robertson received 1,092 votes, and N. M. Letts 860; for representative N. T. Brown re- ceived 1,142 votes and O. H. P. Linn 810; the other candidates on the two tickets fared about the same.

The republican party of this county adopted the primary system of nominat- ing candidates' on September 7, 1867. Dr. G. K. Hickok of Columbus City, was chairman of the convention ; L. W. Myers, secretary. The plan of a primary election was presented and explained by Mr. Myers and resolutions on the sub- ject were offered by James S. Hurley. They provided in substance that there- after the republicans of the county would nominate candidates for county of- fices by a primary election to be held in each township upon ten days' notice,

122 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

that persons should be entitled to vote only in townships wherein they lived and that the votes should be canvassed by the chairman of the county committee and any two other members.

The first primary election in the county was held on Saturday, August 28, 1869. James S. Hurley was nominated for senator over Rev. F. F. Kiner, by 702 to 357.

The most interesting- contest was a three-cornered fight for representative, between G. D. Harrison, L. W. Myers and S. C. Curtis. Mr. Harrison was nom- inated, the vote being, Harrison, 424, Myers, 340, and Curtis, 261.

Another close contest was for sheriff. J. L. Grubb had 386 votes, E. B. Lacey had 357, J. H. Coulter had 218, and A. H. Havenhill had 90.

L. A. Riley was nominated for superintendent of schools, receiving 501 votes, to 353 f°r J- B. Porter, and 139 for L. W. Weller.

Although Mr. Myers introduced the primary election into the county, and was defeated at the very first election, he was always a consistent supporter of the primary.

FIRST WHIG t'OXVENTIOX IX IOWA.

It is not generally known that the whig party in Iowa had its beginning in Louisa county, but such is the fact. At an old settlers' meeting held in Wapello, February 22, 1859, C. M. McDaniel was one of the speakers. We take the fol- lowing from the account of his speech published at that time:

"In political matters in those days it was not of much importance what party a man belonged to, the question was not 'to what party do you belong?' but 'for what man do you vote?' Parties were known in the east, but here nothing was known of whig, democrat, republican, know-nothing, or any other party name. At the first election there were ten candidates for members of the legislature, but not very heavy electioneering, for there were very few votes to electioneer. In a short time the words whig and democrat began to be heard — the speaker stated that he himself was a democrat, and of course when the party question was raised, was warmly interested for the success of his party and being elected sheriff, which of course made him begin to feel his importance, began to think it would improve the look of things to have some resident lawyers. Being in Burlington about this time, he met with two attorneys, just arrived from the east, and seeking a location ; both since well known to the people of this county — Judge Springer and E. H. Thomas. Judge Rorer told the speaker that he ought to try to induce them to come to Wapello, as the effect of getting two lawyers located here would be to increase the law business and so make the sheriff's office more profitable. They were both induced to come, but being both whigs he soon found what he might have expected as a natural consequence, that as soon as they were firmly located, the county began to show strong signs of whiggery. At first he could not imagine the reason, but it was so and continually getting worse. In 1847 politics were high here as in other places, and Judge Rorer being in this place asked him (the speaker) what he thought was the prospect of the election in this county. The reply was that it was rather mixed, that the Yankee lawyers were about to prove entirely too much for the democratic opponent. 'Oh,' said the Judge, 'didn't we play the d 1' — and added, nearly with tears in his eyes,

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 123

'I'd not the least idea they were whigs, can't you get ahead of them some way?' — he thought not, and so it has been ; he has been to California since, and on his return found that though the whigs were dead, the republicans were opposing democracy and it was worse than ever."

History says that Mr. McDaniel was right in reference to the work of the two whig lawyers and their friends. The first distinctly whig meeting was held in Wapello on June ioth, 1840. It was called a Harrison meeting. At this meet- ing Francis Springer submitted resolutions expressing regret and disappointment that elections could no longer be conducted without regard to partisan activity and stating that the democrats had "raised the standard of the party, lit its smould- ering fires, and have thrown the gauntlet of defiance at our feet by calling con- ventions to nominate candidates to be supported on partisan grounds." The resolution stated that under these circumstances it was the duty of the whigs to establish a whig party in the territory and to meet and organize at Bloomington and to agree upon a candidate for delegate to congress. This meeting appointed a committee of five to act as a committee of correspondence with their political friends in the territory. This committee consisted of Edward H. Thomas, Jacob S. Rinearson, Joseph Newell, William H. R. Thomas and William L. Toole. A little later whig meetings were held in Muscatine county and Des Moines county. Of the first territorial convention held by the whigs, the "Iowa Journal of His- tory and Politics" for January, 1907, says :

"Pursuant to the recommendation of the Louisa county convention a 'Con- gress of the People' assembled at Bloomington on July 29. The whigs marched in a long procession to a grove where the ladies of Bloomington presented a handsome standard to the Tippecanoe Club of Muscatine county. Mr. Ralph P. Lowe, the president of the club, in a brief speech accepted the present which was then dedicated to the Harrison citizens of the territory as expressive of the devotion of the club to republican principles and to the cause of general reform in the national administration. At the conclusion of these ceremonies the meet- ing organized by electing Colonel Isaac Leffler, of Des Moines county, as presi- dent, and Joseph Webster, of Lee county, Francis Ford, of Cedar county, and Levi Thornton, of Linn (should be Louisa) county, as vice presidents. W. G. Woodward, of Bloomington, and E. Thomas (Edward H. Thomas), of Wapello, were chosen as secretaries. It was then resolved to give the support of the con- vention to the candidate for delegate to congress who should be nominated at this meeting. On proceeding to a vote Alfred Rich received 120 votes; Philip Viele, 61 votes and S. Whicher, 1 1 votes. Mr. Rich was then declared the nominee of the convention and recommended to the people of the territory for their next delegate to congress. A committee of five was appointed to prepare and to have published an 'address to the people of the territory.' A central whig committee of five was also appointed and the meeting adjourned by recommending that all the counties appoint committees of vigilance and correspondence."

Augustus C. Dodge, of Burlington, was nominated in opposition to Mr. Rich by the democrats at a convention held in Bloomington on August 19th. A lively political campaign ensued and at the election of October 5, 1840, Mr. Dodge

124 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

had a majority of 615. It was said that many hundreds of whigs voted for Mr. Dodge out of personal and local considerations. The whigs of the territory made considerable gain in the legislature, the house standing 11 whigs to 15 democrats, and the council standing 7 whigs and 6 democrats. This council is the only one in the history of the territory in which the whigs had a majority. Louisa county sent one of these whigs in the person of Francis Springer, who was elected from the Louisa-Washington district. From this time on, Louisa county was unsafe territory for the democrats, though the candidates of that party were occasionally elected after that. There was considerable whig activity throughout the territory m the year 1841 and Louisa county bore a prominent part in it. The first meet- ing was held in the Methodist church at Burlington, January 6, 1841, and Ralph P. Lowe, of Burlington, was elected president, and Francis Springer of Wapello, was elected secretary. It was decided to hold a territorial convention at Daven- port to nominate a candidate for delegate to congress. The first county meet- ing, or county convention to select delegates to the Davenport convention was held at Wapello in Louisa county on Saturday, February 6, 1841. Joseph Newell was chairman and William H. R. Thomas was secretary. A committee consist- ing of the following named gentlemen: E. II. Thomas, William L. Toole, Wil- liam Kennedy, Henry Rockafeller, E. K. Maxson and G. L. Coe was appointed, for the purpose of reporting to the meeting a list of delegates to the democrat- whig territorial convention to be held at Davenport in May next, and also a list of persons to constitute a democratic-whig county committee. George F. Thomas moved the appointment of a committee of six on resolutions and the following were appointed : George F. Thomas, Francis Springer, Alexander Ross, Israel Trask, Dr. J. W. Brookbank and Joel Bronson. The convention appointed as delegates to Davenport, Henry Rockafeller, E. K. Maxson and Joseph Newell, and as a democratic-whig county committee, the following: George L. Coe, of Jefferson township ; Alexander Ross, Grandview township : Wright Williams, Columbus City township: Edward H. Thomas, Wapello township, and John Deihl, Florence township. Spirited resolutions were adopted favoring a perfect organization in every township, approving the plan of holding a whig conven- tion at Davenport, and calling upon all whigs to lay aside prejudices of locality and to unite their energies for a victory at once signal and glorious. The pro- ceedings of this meeting were published in the whig papers at Bloomington and Iowa City under the heading "A Voice from Louisa County" and the other counties of the territory were called upon to do likewise. The whigs of Louisa county entered the political fight in earnest that year and on July 3, 1841, held a county convention at Wapello, of which Nathaniel Prime was chairman and ' William H. R. Thomas, secretary. At this convention William L. Toole was nominated for representative and Wright Williams for county commissioner and both were successful at the ensuing election. The delegates from the vari- ous townships to this convention were as follows: Wapello township, George F. Thomas, Dr. J. W. Brookbank, Jacob S. Rinearson, George Rouse, Leonard Robinson, William II. R. Thomas, Dennis Williams, Joel Bronson and Isaac Hall; Columbus City township, S. Hutchison, B. Johnson, James G. Hall, R. W. Dollbee, R. C. Burchell, George Reister, Nathaniel Prime, William J. R. Flack, John McCoy, Dr. H. M. Downer, Nelson Alloway and Wright Williams : Grandview township, William Klum, Alexander Ross. William Fowler, Robert

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 125

Benefiel, William Hamilton, S. H. Rockafeller and Jesse Walling; Jefferson township, Perry Morrison, William F. Dickison, George L. Coe, Thomas Bras, E. F. Dennison, G. II. Austin, William Fleming, James Guest, J. R. Rockafeller, Elisha Hook and William Searl : Florence township, Orrison Craig, Reuben P. Bolles. John Deihl, John A. Lewin, George Newell, Jefferson Frizzle, Aaron D. Hurley, Daniel Briggs, George Presbury, Joseph Ogle and Thomas Gregory.

From this time on until the whig party ceased to exist, Louisa county was a whig stronghold and the whig candidates generally carried the county, although there were numerous exceptions to this rule. The territory, and afterward, the state, was democratic, however, until, in 1854 the whigs elected James W. Grimes, governor, and carried the state legislature by a small majority. The election of Governor Grimes was due to the strong anti-slavery sentiment in Iowa and to the fact that he took a firm stand against the extension of slavery. It was about this time that the republican party was being organized in a few states, and Iowa was not far behind. For some years the know-nothing party had kept up an organization in Louisa county, though it is said its principal meet- ings were held in secret. This party had an especially strong following over in Jefferson and Port Louisa townships and considerable strength in most parts of the county. During the administration of Governor Grimes, under his leader- ship, most of the old wdiigs, many of the know-nothings, free-soilers and other opponents of slavery extension, were drawn together in the new republican organi- zation. At this time republicanism was defined to be simply and wholly opposi- tion to the extension of slavery. It was declared by its -leading newspapers that the party did not propose to interfere with slavery where it then existed but to keep slavery where it was. The chief slogans of the party at that time were "no more slave territory" and "no more slave states." This doctrine found much favor in Louisa county and was supported by nearly all the old whigs and by some who had theretofore been democrats. One of the strong men among the latter was Andrew Gamble.

The republicans had their first convention at Iowa City on the 22d of Feb- ruary, 1856, at which most of the counties of the state were represented. One of the early counties to hold a convention to send delegates to this convention was Louisa county and its delegation consisted of Francis Springer, James G. Hall and Joel Bronson. Francis Springer seems to have been recognized as one of the leaders of this movement from the very beginning. He was made a member of the committee on platform and was placed at the head of the delegates to the national republican convention to be held at Philadelphia. From that day to this Louisa county has been steadfast in its republicanism.

CHAPTER X. LIST OF OFFICERS.

COUNTY OFFICERS TERRITORIAL LEGISLATORS — STATE LEGISLATORS MEMBERS OF

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS) OTHER OFFICERS GUBERNATORIAL APPOINT- MENTS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS AND CONGRESSMEN.

COUNTY OFFICERS.

CLERK OF BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

1837 — William Kennedy.

CLERK OF BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

1838— William H. R. Thomas.

1839 — John Gilliland, to fill vacancy.

1840 — J. S. Rinearson.

1842 — Daniel Brewer, pro tern.

1845 — John Gilliland.

1846 — Francis Springer, for April session.

1846 — Samuel M. Kirkpatrick, pro tern.

1846 — Samuel M. Kirkpatrick, elected.

1847 — S. M. Kirkpatrick.

1849 — Lewis Kinsey.

1850— Robert F. Newell.

COUNTY JUDGE.

August 17, 1851 — Wright Williams, died 1854. November 23, 1854 — Francis Springer, to fill vacancy. 1855 — Francis Springer, elected. 1857 — Joseph L. Derbin. 1859 — Joseph L. Derbin. 1862-65 — Lewis W. Vale. January, 1866 — S. E. Jones.

June, 1866 — William G. Allen, until January, 1869, when he was county auditor.

COUNTY AUDITOR.

1869-1874— William G. Allen. 1874-1883 — James B. Gibboney, died 1883.

127

128 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

1883-89— R. E. Archibald, to fill vacancy ; R. E. Archibald, elected. 1890-98 — James S. Kelly. 1899-1904 — C. J. Ives. 1905 to date — H. W. Baker.

PROSECUTING ATTORNEY.

April 20, 1837 — James W. Woods, pro tern.

1830. — Isaac Van Allen.

1839 — E. H. Thomas.

1840— R. P. Lowe.

1842 — R. P. Lowe.

[844 — Edward H. Thomas.

1845 — Edward H. Thomas.

1846— John Bird.

1847 — Edward H. Thomas.

1848— R. C. Burchell.

1850— John Bird.

1850 — Francis Springer, resigned, August 19, 1851.

1851 — John Bird.

1852 — John Bird.

1852 — C. H. Abbott, elected August, 1852.

1854 — Francis Springer, resigned, February 28, 1855.

1855 — James S. Hurley.

1855 — Jacob Butler.

1856 — James S. Hurley

(DISTRICT ATTORNEY PERIOD.)

1887-8— E. B. Tucker, County Attorney.

1889-94 — A. W. Jarvis, County Attorney.

1895-1900 — F. M. Molsberry, County Attorney.

1901-04 — H. E. Curran.

1905-08 — Oscar Hale.

1909 to date — W. H. Hurley.

( I ERK DISTRICT COURT.

Feby. 18, 1837, to Feby. 2, 1847 — Zadok C. Inghram.

Feby. 2, 1847 to Aug. 1850 — James McKay (died out west before his term ended).

August 1850 to Aug. 1832 — Jacob Mintun. August 1852 to Aug. 1856 — Lewis Kinsey. August 1856 to Jan. 1871 — John Hale. Jan. 1871 to Jan. 1883 — John Huff. Jan. 1883 to Jan. 1889— G. W. Thomas. Jan. 1889 to Jan. 1895— H. M. Holler. Jan. 1895 to Jan. 1903 — Ed. Hicklin.

XAIMIK C. tNGHRAM, First Cleric

fkaxcis si'itix<;i-:u

JOHN HALE

B

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 129

Jan. 1903 to May 29, 1907 — B. F. Ogden. May 29, 1907, to date — F. T. Ives.

TREASURER.

1837 — Zadok C. Inghram, acting.

1837 — P. B. Harrison, elected member county commissioners' court and probably resigned.

1838 — Zadok C. Inghram, gave bond as appointee, April 16, 1838.

1838 — Hiram Smith, gave bond October 13, 1838.

1839 — John Bevins, gave bond April 6, 1839.

1840 — Cicero M. Ives, gave bond October 8, 1839.

1840 — George F. Thomas, gave bond October 5, 1840.

1841 — George F. Thomas, gave bond August 14, 1841.

1842 — George F. Thomas, gave bond August 8, 1842.

1844 — George F. Thomas, gave bond October 12, 1844.

1846 — George F. Thomas, gave bond August 10. 1846.

1847 — Samuel Townsend (and recorder), gave bond August 9, 1849, re- signed March 27, 1849.

1849 — Dennis Williams (and recorder), gave bond March 28, 1849.

1851 — Samuel Townsend (and recorder), gave bond August n, 1851.

1853 — John C. Tucker (and recorder), gave bond August 10, 1853.

1855 — Samuel Townsend (and recorder), gave bond August 9, 1855.

1857 — William A. Colton (and recorder), gave bond August 17, 1857.

1859 — Benjamin F. Coe.

1864-5 — Benjamin F. Coe.

1866-73 — W. S. Kremer.

1874-5 — John L. Merrill.

1876-7 — W. S. Kremer.

1878-81— Edson F. Smith.

1882-87— Milo J. Smith.

1888-95— N. W. McKay.

1 896- 1903 — R. F. McConnell.

1904 to date — J. F. Chandler.

SHERIFF.

Samuel Smith, appointed December 8, 1836, oath of office, February 18, 1837.

1837 — Martin Harless.

February 21, 1839, to November 2, 1840 — C. M. McDaniel.

August 11, 1842 — William H. R. Thomas.

1845— C. M. McDaniel.

1847— William H. R. Thomas.

September 4, 1849 — Samuel Smith.

August, 185 1 — Samuel K. Helmick.

August 10, 1853 — A.. M. Taylor.

August 10, 1855— A. M. Taylor.

August 17. 1857 — A. M. Taylor.

i860— A. M. Taylor.

130 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

1862-3 — Henry McClurkin. 1864-5 — Henry McClurkin. 1866-7 — E. B. Lacey. 1870- 1 — John L. Grubb. 1872-3 — John L. Grubb. 1874-5 — John L. Grubb. 1876-81— Albert Ellis. 1882-87— John C. Smith. 1888-93— Isaac Black. 1894-99 — William Deford. 1900-06 — W. C. Saunders. 1907 to date — Jacob C. Smith.

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.

1858— J. B. Brigham.

June 28, 1858— W. R. Woodruff.

1859 — R. N. Fee — O. H. Miller, sworn in May 24, i860.

1861 — S. E. Jones.

1862-3 — J. K. Sweeny.

1863-4— A. S. Prather.

1865— William J. Ronalds.

1866-7— A. Millmine.

1868-9— J. B- Porter.

1870- 1— L. A. Riley.

1872-3 — W. C. Sigafoos.

1874 — C. H. G. Frye, to fill vacancy.

1874-5 — D. T. Campbell.

1876-7 — J. A. Kennedy.

October 16, 1877 — Daniel Helmick, to fill vacancy.

1878-9 — Daniel Helmick, elected.

1880-3— Milton D. Nicol.

1884-7— Mrs. L. G. Murdock.

1888-91— W. A. Lester.

1892- 1897 — Lizzie Hughes.

1898-1901 — C. M. Donaldson.

1902-7 — C. R. Wallace.

1907 to date — R. R. Hunt.

SURVEYOR.

1839 — Jolln Gilliland, bond October 8, 1839.

1840 — John Gilliland.

1841 — John Gilliland, bond August 28, 1841.

1842 — John Gilliland, bond August 8. 1842.

1843 — John Gilliland.

1844 — Aaron D. Hurley, bond August 15, 1844.

1845 — Aaron D. Hurley, bond August 18, 1845.

1847 — Aaron D. Hurley, bond August 16, 1847.

1849 — Aaron D. Hurley, bond August 23, 1849.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 131

1850 — John R. Sisson, bond August 5, 1850.

1851 — John R. Sisson, bond August 14, 1851.

1853 — Jonn R- Sisson, bond August 12, 1853.

1855 — John R. Sisson, bond August 10, 1855, resigned December 8, 1856.

1857 — A. B. Miller, bond January 15, 1857.

1857 — W. S. Kremer, bond April 10, 1857.

1857 — W. S. Kremer, bond August 11, 1857.

1859-65 — W. S. Kremer.

1866-7— W. C. Blackstone.

1868-9— W. C. Blackstone. a

1870-1— T. W. Bailey.

1872-5 — Peter Houtz.

1876-9 — John M. Huston.

1880-3— Peter Houtz.

1884-9— J. lM- Huston. j

1890 to date — W. S. Kremer.

RECORDER.

1837 — Zadok C. Inghram.

1839 — Jacob S. Rinearson, bond August 8, 1839.

1842 — Jacob S. Rinearson, bond August 1, 1842.

1845- — John Gilliland.

1846— George W. McCleary, bond April 6, 1846.

1847 — Samuel Townsend, bond August 9, 1847.

1849 — Dennis Williams, bond August 23, 1849.

1851 — Samuel Townsend, bond August 11, 1851.

1853 — John C. Tucker, bond August 10, 1853.

1855 — Samuel Townsend, bond August 9, 1855.

1857 — William A. Colton, bond August 17, 1857.

1859-65 — Benjamin F. Coe.

1867-8 — John A. Brown.

1869-76— N. W. McKay.

1877-80 — Manasseh Edwards.

1881-84— N. W. McKay.

1885-90— V. B. Beane.

1891-94 — Nora Cornelius.

1895-1908 — Milo A. Kelly.

1909 to date — Jennie Robertson.

CORONER.

'837-39 — Isaac Parsons.

1840 — P. B. Harrison, gave bond October 12, 1840.

1841-2 — Isaac Parsons, gave bond October 6. 1841.

l843 — William Milligan, gave bond October 13, 1843.

1845-6— James B. Milligan, gave bond March 25, 1845.

1847 — Benjamin Robinson.

1848 — Benjamin Robinson, gave bond August 21, 1848.

1849-50 — Benjamin Robinson, gave bond April 12, 1849.

185 1-2 — Charles F. Morris, gave bond August 9, 1851.

132 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

1853-5 — T. M. Parsons, gave bond August, 1853.

1856-7— T. M. Parsons.

1858-9 — John M. Studdanl. gave bond August 18. 1857.

1 860-1— T. R. J. Ellis.

1862-3 — William Butler.

1863-4 — James C. Sterlin.

1864-5 — Joseph Martin.

1866-7 — James Semple.

1868-73 — George Presbury.

1874-5 — John C. Duncan.

1876-83 — Frank Tustison.

1884-91— M. W. Lilly.

1894-7 — John F. Saunders.

1898-1901 — G. W. Younkin.

1902 to date — C. P. Wagner.

PROBATE JUDGE.

October 24. 1838— R. S. Searle.

1840 — Henry Rockafeller, bond October 21, 1840, resigned July 14. 1841. 1841 — G. L. Coe, bond August 11, 1841. 1847 — George L. Coe, to August 8, 1849. [849 — G. W. McCleary, August 13, 1849 to October 11, 1850. 1850 — Merit Jamison, October 16, 1850 to August, 1851. 1 ( V>unty court organized with Wright Williams as county judge.)

1 1 IUNTY ASSESSOR.

1837 — I. H. Rinearson.

1838 — S. S. Gourley, died.

1839 — Daniel Brewer, bond January 11, 1839.

1839 — Andrew J. Bevins, failed to qualify.

[840 — Reuben S. Searle, bond January 4, 1840, died in office.

1840 — J. W. Isett, bond June 29, 1840.

[840 — Levi Thornton, bond October 12, 1840.

•1841 — J. S. Rinearson, bond January 8, 1841.

1841-43 — W. H. R. Thomas, bond August 11, 1842.

1843 T0 !845 TOWNSHIP ASSESSORS.

1845 — James Helverson, bond September 8, 1845.

1846 — Nathaniel Prime, bond August 10, 1846.

1847 — W. H. R. Thomas, bond January 4, 1847.

1848— W. H. R. Thomas.

1850 — Samuel Smith, bond March 2. 1850.

1851-53 — Samuel K. Helmick, bond March 2, 1851.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 133

1853 — TOWNSHIP ASSESSORS AGAIN. COLLECTOR.

1837— W. H. Creighton. 1839— Cavil M. McDaniel. 1841— C. M. McDaniel. 1842 — C. M. McDaniel. 1842— W. H. R. Thomas. 1843— William .'• R- Flack- 1844— William J. R. Flack. 1845— William j. R. Flack.

SCHOOL FUND COMMISSIONERS.

1847-52 — Oliver Benton. 1852 — Philip Gore. 1854 — Elias Keach. 1856-7 — O. A. Taylor.

HOARD OF SUPERVISORS — 1837.

Jeremiah Smith, William Milligan, John Ronalds.

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS — 1838.

William I.. Toole, William Milligan, P. B. Harrison.

1839 William Milligan. Wright Williams. Israel L. Clark, Robert Childers (extra session December 28, 1839).

1840 John Deihl, William Milligan (retired October 29, 1840), Wright Williams, Robert Childers.

1841 Wright Williams, Robert Childers, John Deihl.

1842 Wright Williams, John Deihl, Robert Childers (retired August 11, 1842), Spencer Wilson (August 11, 1842).

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 1 843.

Wright Williams, Spencer Wilson, John Deihl.

1844 Wright Williams (retired September 30, 1844), Spencer Wilson, Merit Jami- son, John McGannon (September 30, 1844).

1845 Merit Jamison, John McGannon, Henry Rockafeller (September 29, 1845).

134 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

1846 Merit Jamison, John McGannon. Henry Rockafeller.

1847 Merit Jamison, John McGannon ( retired August 16, 1847 ), Henry Rockafeller, James G. Hall (August 16, 1847).

1848 James G. Hall, Henry Rockafeller (retired August 21, 1N48). Merit Jamison, Jared H. Trask (August 21, 1848).

1849 James G. Hall, Merit Jamison (retired), Jared H. Trask (retired), Morton Brown (August 20. 1849), Leonard Robinson (August 20. 1849).

1850 James G. Hall (retired), Morton Brown, Leonard Robinson (retired), Thomas Stoddard (August 19, 1850). John \T. McConnell (August 19, 1850).

1851 Morton Brown, Thomas Stoddard. John N. McConnell.

August 11, 185 1, county court organized with Wright Williams as county judge.

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS — l86l.

Samuel Townsend, Wapello; Samuel Reiner, Columbus City; T. M. Parsons, Jefferson ; S . C. Curtis. Grandview : Robert A. White, Union ; Shakespeare McKee, Oakland ; C. F. Stauber, Elm Grove ; G. W. Maxwell, Eliot ; Albert Ellis, Marshall: G. H. Crow. Port Louisa; Henry McClurkin, Morning Sun; David Edmondson, Concord.

1862

Samuel Townsend, John Drake. Wapello; Thompson Parsons. Jefferson; Shakespeare McKee. Oakland : Henry Beane, Eliot : Samuel Reiner, Joseph L. Paschal, Columbus City ; George H. Crow, Port Louisa ; T. R. J. Ellis, Marshall : Henry J. McCormick, Elm Grove: J. Livermore, Concord; Robert A. White, Union; S. C. Curtis, Grandview; John A. Brown, Morning Sun.

1863

Robert A. White, Union ; G. H. Crow, Port Louisa ; T. R. J. Ellis, Marshall : IT. J. McCormick, Elm Grove: D. P. Curran, Morning Sun; Cyril Carpenter, Oak- land : John Drake, Wapello ; F. A. Duncan, Columbus City ; Enoch Potter, Jeffer- son; Jacob Kremer, Eliot; S. C. Curtis, Grandview; J. Livermore, Peter Knott, Concord.

1864

F. A. Duncan. Columbus City; John Drake, Wapello; G. H. Crow, Port Louisa; Benjamin Jennings, Elm Grove; John Hunter, Concord; James Harman, Union; Meredith Hardesty, George S. Nichols, Marshall; S. C. Curtis, Grand- view; C. Carpenter, Oakland: D. P. Curran, Morning Sun: Enoch Potter, Jeffer- son; Jacob Kremer, Eliot.

1865

C. S. Curtis. Grandview; G. H. Crow, Port Louisa; Benjamin Jennings, Elm Grove: Tames Harman, Union: John Hunter, Concord; C. W. Bras. Jefferson;

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 135

D. P. Curran, Morning Sun ; Thomas Duryea, W. C. Harrison, Eliot; H. B. Kirk- patrick, Marshall ; J. M. Robertson, Columbus City ; J. H. Rollins, Wapello; C. M. McDaniel, H. A. Keyes, Oakland.

1866 J. M. Robertson, F. A. Duncan, Columbus City; C. W. Bras, Jefferson; D. P. Curran, Morning Sun ; H. A. Keyes, Oakland ; J. H. Rollins, Wapello ; Robert Carson, Union ; G. H. Crow, Port Louisa ; Benjamin Jennings, Elm Grove ; R. F. Newell, Concord ; George S. Nichols, Marshall ; Philip Wagner, Grandview ; Eliot. (No one from Eliot township served this year.)

1867

G. H. Crow, Port Louisa ; Robert Carson, Union ; Benjamin Jennings, Elm Grove ; George S. Nichols, Marshall ; Robert F. Newell, Concord ; Philip Wagner, Grandview; P. D. Bailey, Eliot: H. C. Blake, Morning Sun; J. Q. Buffington, Columbus City ; John Deihl. Wapello ; R. S. Strong, Jefferson ; H. A. Keyes, Oakland.

1868

Benjamin Jennings, Elm Grove ; H. C. Blake, Morning Sun ; J. Q. Buffington. Columbus City ; John Deihl, Wapello ; H. A. Keyes, Oakland ; R. S. Strong, Jef- ferson; Robert Carson, Union; S. C. Curtis, Jas. R. Letts, Grandview. (Re- moved from township, J. R . Letts appointed to fill vacancy) ; F. F. Kiner, Marshall : S. A. McDaniel, Concord ; Levi Stephen, Port Louisa ; P. D. Bailey, Eliot.

1869

Benjamin Jennings, Elm Grove ; Robert Carson, Union ; F. F. Kiner, Marshall ; Levi Stephen, Port Louisa ; P. D. Bailey, Eliot ; A. Gamble, Columbus City ; John Hunter, Concord ; H. A. Keyes, Oakland ; S. Jamison, Wapello ; H- M. Ochil- tree, Morning Sun ; H. J. N. Parsons. Jefferson ; Philip Wagner, Grandview.

1870 Andrew Gamble, Columbus City ; P. D. Bailey, Eliot ; S. Jamison, Wapello ; H. A. Keyes, Oakland ; H. M. Ochiltree, Morning Sun ; H. J. N. Parsons, Jeffer- son ; G. H. Crow, Port Louisa ; Barton Garrett, Concord ; J. C. Riley, Elm Grove ; S. N. Spurgeon, Union ; Philip Wagner, Grandview ; John Sloan, Marshall.

1871 Andrew Gamble, Columbus City ; N. M. Letts, Grandview ; W. P. Smith, Wapello.

1872 Andrew Gamble, Columbus City ; N. M. Letts, Grandview ; P. D. Bailey, Eliot.

1873 Andrew Gamble, Columbus City: N. M. Letts, Grandview; P. D. Bailey, Eliot.

1874 Andrew Gamble. Columbus City : P. D. Bailey, Eliot ; Robert F. Newell, Concord.

187S P. D. Bailey, Eliot ; R. F. Newell, Concord ; Cyril Carpenter, Oakland.

136 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

1876 R. F, Newell, Concord; C. Carpenter, Oakland; E. F. Smith, Morning Sun.

1877 Cyril Carpenter, Oakland; E. F. Smith, Morning Sun; B. F. Coe, Elm drove.

1878 Cyril Carpenter. Oakland; I'.. F. Coe, Elm Grove; T. M. Parsons, Jefferson.

1879 C. Carpenter, Oakland; P. F. Coe, Elm Grove; T. M. Parsons, Jefferson.

1880 C. Carpenter, Oakland; T. M. Parsons, feft'erson; R. T. Tones, Columbus City.

1881 T. M. Parsons, R. T. Jones. Barton Garrett.

1882 R. T. Jones, Barton Garrett, T. M. Parsons.

1883 Barton Garrett, T. M. Parsons, R. T. Jones.

1884 T. M. Parsons, R. T. Jones, Barton Garrett.

1885 R. T. Jones, Barton Garrett, S. F. Small.

1886 Barton Garrett, S. F. Small, II. M. Letts.

1887 S. F. Small. II. M. Letts, Barton Garrett.

1888 II. M. Letts, Barton Garrett, S. F. Small.

1889 Barton Garrett, S. F. Small, II. M. Letts.

1890 S. F. Small, H. M. Letts. Thomas Newell.

1891 H. M. Letts, Thomas Newell, T. M. Parsons.

1892 Thomas Newell, T. M. Parsons, F. J. Moore.

r893

1. M. Parsons, F, J. Moore, Jacob Lieberknecht.

1894

F. J. Moore. Jacob Lieberknecht, Isaiah Downs.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 137

1895 Jacob Lieberknecht, Isaiah Downs, F. J. Moore.

1896 Isaiah Downs, F. J. Moore, Jacob Lieberknecht.

1897 F. J. Moore, Jacob Lieberknecht. Isaiah Downs.

1898 Jacob Lieberknecht, Isaiah Downs, J. Cal Duncan.

1899 Isaiah Downs. J. Cal Duncan, J. Lieberknecht.

1900 J. Cal Duncan, J. Lieberknecht, Isaiah Downs.

1901 J. Lieberknecht. Isaiah Downs, J. Cal Duncan.

1902 Isaiah Downs, J. Cal Duncan, J. Lieberknecht.

1903 J. Cal Duncan. J. Lieberknecht, George R. Deihl.

1904 J. Lieberknecht (died), George R. Deihl, J. Cal Duncan, William Wilson (to fill vacancy).

1905 George R. Deihl, J. Cal Duncan, William Wilson.

1906 George R. Deihl, William Wilson. J. Cal Duncan.

1907 William Wilson, D. W. V. Herrick, R. S. Johnston.

1908 William Wilson, R. S. Johnston, D. W. V. Herrick.

1909 D. W. V. Herrick, R. S. Johnston, O. C. Farmer.

1910

R. S. Johnston, O. C. Farmer, S. F. Wilson.

1911 O. C. Farmer. S. F. Wilson, R. S. Johnston.

DRAINAGE COMMISSIONER.

1853 — Thomas Stoddard, elected April 4, 1853. 1857 — Alexander Ross. i860— H. C. Blake.

138 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

COUNTY ROAD SUPERVISOR.

1851 — Samuel McCullough, elected August 6, 1851.

INSPECTOR OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

1846 — E. B. Isett, elected August 3. 1846. 1847 — E. B. Isett, elected August 2, 1847.

TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE.

COUNCIL.

1838-40 — James M. Clark. First and Second (Muscatine, Louisa and Slaughter).

1840-44 — Francis Springer, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth (Louisa and Washington).

1845-46 — Enoch Ross, of Washington county. Seventh and Eighth (Louisa and Washington).

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

November 12, 1838, to January 25, 1839 — William L. Toole, Levi Thornton, John Frierson, S. C. Hastings, First (Represented Muscatine, Louisa and Slaugh- ter counties).

November 4, 1839, to January 17, 1846 — Daniel Brewer, Jacob Mintun, Sec- ond (Louisa and Washington).

November 2, 1840, to January 15, 1841 — William L. Toole. Third.

December 6, 1841. to February 18, 1842 — William L. Toole, Fourth.

December 5, 1842, to February 17, 1843 — Joseph Newell, Fifth.

December 4, 1843, t0 February 16, 1844 — George W. McCleary, Sixth.

May 5. 1845, to June 11, 1845 — George W. McCleary, Seventh.

December 1, 1845, to January 19, 1846 — George W. McCleary, Eighth.

From only partial returns of the election in August, 1846, we infer that Andrew Kendall, of Grandview, was elected representative, over Dr. J. M. Rob- ertson. As Iowa became a state in December, 1846, this election was rendered nugatory.

STATE LEGISLATURE.

SENATE.

1846-49 — Francis Springer, First, First Extra and Second. ■850-53 — Norman Everson, Third and Fourth. 1854-57— H. T. Cleaver, Fifth. Fifth Extra and Sixth. 1858-60 — Samuel Reiner, Seventh and Eighth. 1862-64 — James S. Hurley, Ninth. Ninth Extra and Tenth. 1864-68 — James M. Robertson, Eleventh and Twelfth. 1870-72 — James S. Hurley, Thirteenth and Fourteenth.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 139

1874 — Joseph D. Miles, Fifteenth.

1876-78 — William Wilson, Sixteenth and Seventeenth.

1880-82 — John W. Prizer, Eighteenth and Nineteenth.

1884-86 — Francis A. Duncan, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Twentieth and Twenty- first.

1888 — S. T. Chesebro, Twenty-second.

1890-92 — John M. Gobble, Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth.

1894-96 — C. A. Carpenter, Twenty-fifth, Twenty-sixth and Twenty-sixth Extra.

1898-1900 — George M. Titus, Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth.

1902-04-06 — F. M. Molsberry, Twenty-ninth, Thirtieth and Thirty-first.

1907-09 — Jay I. Nichols. Thirty-second, Thirty-second Extra and Thirty- third.

191 1 — Alexander M. Garrett, Thirty-fourth.

The following senators of the above list resided in Washington county : Sen- ators Everson, Miles, Wilson and Prizer. The following resided in Muscatine county : Senators Chesebro, Gobble, Titus and Nichols. Those interested in the matter can find when the various senatorial districts were changed by refer- ence to the table in the appendix, showing the various charters, laws, etc.

MEMBERS OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wright Williams, First, First Extra and Second.

Andrew Gamble, Third.

John Cleaves, Fourth.

Micajah Reeder, Fourth.

John C. Lockwood. Fifth.

Lewis Kinsey, Fifth Extra.

N. W. Burris, Sixth.

Andrew J. Kirkpatrick, Sixth.

Royal Prentiss, Seventh.

D. X. Sprague, Seventh.

John H. Williamson, Eighth and Eighth Extra.

John Cleaves, Ninth and Ninth Extra.

Enoch Potter, Tenth.

N. T. Brown, Eleventh.

Albert Ellis, Twelfth.

George D. Harrison, Thirteenth.

Francis A. Duncan, Fourteenth.

Benjamin Jennings, Fifteenth.

Robert E. Benton, Sixteenth.

George Jamison, Seventeenth.

William A. Colton, Eighteenth. ,

Francis A. Duncan, Nineteenth.

Oliver H. P. Linn, Twentieth.

L. A. Riley, Twenty-first and Twenty-Second.

J. F. Holiday, Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth.

Harry O. Weaver. Twenty-fifth, Twenty-sixth and Twenty-sixth Extra.

140 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Hilton M. Letts, Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth.

E. L. McClurkin, Twenty-ninth, Thirtieth and Thirty-first.

Robert L Reaney, Thirty-second, Thirty-second Extra and Thirty-third.

James M. Brockway, Thirty-fourth.

G. H. Crow was elected in 1866, on account of the death of X. T. Brown, but did not serve.

Andrew |. Kirkpatrick resided in Washington county and represented what was called a floating district composed of Washington and Louisa counties. This floating district was changed and Des .Moines and Louisa counties were made a floating district and D. X. Sprague, residing in Louisa county was a representative of the floating district composed of Des Moines and Louisa counties.

LOUISA COUNTY MEMBERS OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS.

Convention of 1N44 — John W. Brookbank, William L. Toole. Wright Wil- liams.

Convention of 1846 — John Ronalds.

Convention of 1857 — Francis Springer, chosen president.

Other offices held by Louisa county citizens:

lames M. Clark. President Legislative Council. Extra Session, 2nd Ter. Assembly, 1840.

Francis Springer, President Pro Tern Sixth Legislative Council, on account of failure to elect a president, he presided from Dec. 4. 1843, to Jan- [I> l!^->4-

George W. McCleary, Speaker of the House. Eighth Legislative Assembly,

1845-6.

George W. McCleary, Secretary of State, from Dec. 2. 1850. to Dec. I, 1856. (After his election in 1850 Mr. McCleary became a resident of Johnson county. )

GUBERNATORIAL APPOINTMENTS TO OFFICE OF PERSONS IN LOUISA COUNTY.

Dec. 8, 1836— Samuel Smith. Sheriff.

Dec. 8. 1836 — William Milligan, Justice of the Peace.

Dec. X, [836 — Christopher Shuck. Justice of the Peace.

Dec. 8, 1836 — Isaac Rinearson, Justice of the Peace.

Dec. 8, 1836 — William L. Toole, Justice of the Peace.

Nov. 25, 1837 — Seratus C. Hastings, District Attorney.

Jan. 15. 1838 — James G. Hall. Justice of the Peace.

Ian. 15, 1838 — Zadock C. Inghram, Justice of the Peace.

Jan. 15. 183S — John Reynolds, Justice of the Peace.

Jan. 15, 1838 — William Kennedy, Justice of the Peace.

Jan. 15, 1838 — Isaac Parsons. Justice of the Peace.

[John Reynolds should he [ohn Ronalds, and Inghram's first name should be spelled Zadok.]

Jan. 19, 1838 — Seratus [Serranus] C. Hastings, District Attorney for Louisa County.

All the foregoing appointments were made by Gov. Henry Dodge of Wisconsin. Ian. 16, 183c) — Ruben S. Searls, Judge of Probate.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 141

Jan. 16, 1839 — Cavil M. McDaniel, Sheriff.

Jan. 18, 1839 — Fourteen Justices of the Peace, as follows: William Milli- gan, John Gilliland, John Ronalds, Jacob Mintun, Maxmillian Eastwoods, Isaac Parsons, Samuel Woodside, Truman S. Clark, Joseph Crane, George Humphrey, William Fowler, Thomas Stodard, Hiram Smith, Christopher Shuck.

Jan. 19, 1839 — John Ronalds, Colonel 1st Brigade, 2nd Division. 1st Regi- ment; Z. C. Inghram, Lieutenant Colonel, 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Regi- ment; Robert Childers, Major. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 1st Regiment.

Jan. 13, 1841 — John Rinearson, Captain Wapello Cavalry, in place of M. Wilson, resigned.

— , 1842 — Edward II. Thomas, District Attorney for Second District.

Lewis Kinsey appointed Clerk of the Supreme Court, Nov. 3, 1856. Re- appointed Jan. 12, i860, served until January 7, 1867.

Arthur Springer, member of the Educational Commission to Revise the School Laws, appointed in December, 1907.

FEDERAL APPOINTMENTS.

Francis Springer, was Postoffice Inspector, Register of the Land office at Fairfield, and Internal Revenue Collector. For dates see sketch in chapter of Personal Mention, in this volume.

Harry O. Weaver, is at present Revenue Collector. See his sketch in Biographical Volume.

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS AND REPRESENTATIVES.

TWENTY-NINTH CONGRESS, 1846-47.

The state was not yet districted, and S. C. Hastings, of Muscatine, and Shepherd Leffler, of Burlington, both represented the entire state.

THIRTIETH CONGRESS, 1 847-49.

On February 22, 1847, the legislature divided the state into two districts, and Louisa county was put in the second district, comprising the counties of Des Moines, Louisa, Washington, Muscatine, Scott, Clinton, Cedar, Johnson, Iowa and Poweshiek, and all the rest of the state north of a line drawn through the northern boundary of Polk county.

Shepherd Leffler represented the second district in the thirtieth congress.

THIRTY-FIRST CONGRESS, 1 849-5 I.

On January 24, 1848, the legislature passed an act changing the districts by taking Poweshiek from the second district and putting it in the first. Shep- herd Leffler represented the second district in the thirty-first congress.

142 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

THIRTY-SECOND CONGRESS, 1 85 1 -53.

Second district represented in this congress by Lincoln Clark, of Dubuque.

THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS, 1853-55.

Second district represented in this congress by John P. Cook, of Davenport.

THIRTY-FOURTH CONGRESS, 1855-57.

Second district represented by James Thorington, of Davenport. January 28, 1857, the legislature transferred the counties of Des Moines, Louisa and Washington from the second to the first district.

THIRTY-FIFTH CONGRESS, 1 857-59.

First district represented by Samuel R. Curtis, of Keokuk.

THIRTY-SIXTH CONGRESS, 1859-61

First district represented by Samuel R. Curtis.

THIRTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS, 1861-63.

First represented at first session by Samuel R. Curtis, who resigned to accept commission as brigadier general.

James F. Wilson, of Fairfield, was elected, October 8, 1861, to fill the vacancy, and represented the district at the second and third sessions of this congress.

THIRTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS, 1 863-65.

April 8, 1862, the state having become entitled to six members of congress, a radical change was necessary, and Louisa county was left in the first district. but the district was composed of the counties of Lee, Des Moines, Henry. Jefferson, Louisa, Davis, Van Buren and Washington.

Thirty-ninth Congress, 1865-67 — James F. Wilson.

Fortieth Congress, 1867-69 — James F. Wilson.

Forty-first Congress, 1869-71 — George W. McCrary, of Keokuk.

Forty-second Congress. 1871-73 — George W. McCrary.

FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS, 1 872-73.

April 17, 1872, the state became entitled to nine members of congress, and in the reapportionment Davis county was transferred to the sixth district, leav- ing the first district with the seven counties which it has had ever since. (Gen- eral J. P.. Weaver was then looming up as a probable successor of McCrary, and it was to dispose of him that John H. Gear had Davis county taken out of

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 143

the first district. At that, General Weaver got to congress eight years before Gear).

George W. McCrary represented the first district in the forty-third congress.

Forty-fourth Congress, 1875-77 — George W. McCrary.

Forty-fifth Congress, 1877-79 — Dr. Joseph C. Stone, Burlington.

Forty-sixth Congress, 1879-81 — Moses A. McCoid, Fairfield.

Forty-seventh Congress, 1881-83 — Moses A. McCoid, Fairfield.

Forty-eighth Congress, 1883-85 — Moses A. McCoid, Fairfield.

Forty-ninth Congress, 1885-87 — Benton J. Hall, Burlington.

Fiftieth Congress, 1887-89 — John H. Gear, Burlington.

Fifty-first Congress, 1889-91 — John H. Gear, Burlington.

Fifty-second Congress, 1891-93 — John J. Seerley, Burlington.

Fifty-third Congress, 1893-95 — Jonn H. Gear, Burlington.

Fifty-fourth Congress, 1895-97 — Samuel M. Clark, Keokuk.

Fifty-fifth Congress, 1897-99 — Samuel M. Clark, Keokuk.

Fifty-sixth Congress, 1899-1901 — Thomas Hedge, Burlington.

Fifty-seventh Congress, 1901-03 — Thomas Hedge, Burlington.

Fifty-eighth Congress, 1903-05 — Thomas Hedge, Burlington.

Fifty-ninth Congress, 1905-07 — Thomas Hedge, Burlington.

Sixtieth Congress, 1907-09 — Charles A. Kennedy, Montrose.

Sixty-first Congress, 1909-11 — Charles A. Kennedy, Montrose.

Sixty-second Congress, 1911-13 — Charles A. Kennedy, Montrose.

CHAPTER XI. COUNTY FINANCES AND TAXES.

INCREASE IN TAXES — LOCAL GOVERNMENT — STATISTICS FROM TREASURER'S REPORTS AND TAX LISTS — SWAMP LANDS AND DRAINAGE.

Local government is an interesting study in itself, and one to which the sovereigns and tax-payers ought to devote, occasionally at least, a few moments of silent, prayerful, and, where possible, intelligent consideration. This con- sideration ought to be approached with a feeling composed of three parts of patriotism, or public spirit, to one part of selfishness, and one of economy. With many individuals parsimony would be the more appropriate word, but economy sounds better. If this problem is approached in the proper spirit, wc will perhaps all agree that the people ought to have the best and most efficient local government which their necessities demand and their circumstances justify, and that this government should be obtained as economically as possible. It is not meant by this that we should have the cheapest government, regardless of quality : but that we should get the very best government at the least cost. Most people will agree to this in the abstract, but will take neither thought nor pains to put it in force. Perhaps a study of the county finances will bring this matter more closely home to the people, because their pocket-books are affected. It is with this thought that we have been induced to depart somewhat from the beaten path of county histories, by collecting information drawn from our tax levies and expense registers. It may be interesting, if not a little startling, to learn that less than forty years ago when we had in the county practically the same population as we have now (to be exact, just 22 more), our total tax list for all purposes, including state, county, school, municipal and road, amounted to $84,129.36, while for the past year of grace it was $208,175.49. Of the tax levied in 1873, $14,078.15 was Air Line Railroad tax, which, for purposes of comparison should be deducted, and this would show an increase of $137,000 in the current taxes of the county in less than forty years with the same num- ber of people. The mere fact of this enormous increase does not of itself indi- cate that the local government we are getting now is not worth what it costs us, but it ought to serve to put us upon inquiry, and to cause us to study the conditions now existing and to see where, if at all, savings can be made. It would be a difficult matter to make those who are familiar with affairs as they existed forty years ago, and as they exist today, believe that our local government is worth three times as much to us now as it was then.

Our school tax in that time has grown from about $35,000.00 to $78,000.00, though it is as certain as it is lamentable, that the schools on the average are

145

146 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

not a penny's worth better than they were then, and in most cases are of less practical value. But in this, as in other cases of governmental imperfections, we may console ourselves with the thought that the people rule, and that they really are not entitled to any better or more economical school system than they want, and that the people of this state have recently been quite pronounced in their adherence to a system which puts ten million dollars a year and the edu- cational chances of a half million children in the keeping of an unorganized and uncaptained army of forty thousand school officials, none of whom are re- quired to have, and most of whom do not have, any special qualifications for such work. We have in this county a superintendent of common schools, it is true, but the law practically limits his power to visiting schools and scolding school Ma'ms, while the real control of school affairs is exercised by 244 officials in about fifty-seven different ways.

Tf this be a wise and logical system in regard to our school affairs, why not turn our general county affairs over to the management of 244 men?

It is proper to observe also, that the greater part of this increase of $137,000 in our total county tax list from 1873 to 1910, is not, as many fondly believe, due to the increase in state taxes. The state tax levy in Louisa county during the period above mentioned, has only increased $9,025.32. thus leaving $128,000 of this increase to be accounted for in some other way.

It would also be interesting to know just how manv thousands of dollars have been expended, or rather wasted, in the payment of road taxes in this county during the seventy-five years of its existence. We are now paying $17,000.00 a year for the privilege of using the roads in dry weather, — a privi- lege which we would have, if we only paid enough road tax to keep up the few bridges which are not cared for out of the County Bridge fund.

Another subject worthy of attention is as to the number of our county officials. It is not long since a leading business man of the county remarked that the county business could be done by two competent officials, each with a competent deputy, fully as well as it is now done, and at a considerable saving. He instanced the fact that there were several banks in the county, which each did a much larger amount and volume of business in a year than the county business amounts to. Perhaps if he had known that it has cost the county over $1,700.00 in the past six years, and $600.00 in the past year to investigate its county officials, he would have been strengthened in his opinion. It is hard to escape the conclusion that if this expenditure was necessary, the system which makes it so, is wrong; and of course, if it is unnecessary, the wrong lies in the expenditure itself.

In the early years, when the sheriff's office was not a very lucrative posi- tion, he was made county assessor. Now, the sheriff has the least to do of any of our salaried officials, and gets much the best pay, while our assessments in the county are made by nineteen different assessors in nineteen different ways.

It goes without saying that these suggestions will not be popular in some quarters; and it may be that they are too radical. They will accomplish their purpose if they set even a few people to studying these matters for themselves.

As we have already seen, the first body which had charge of our county affairs was the Board of Supervisors, but its powers were somewhat limited. Our next governing body, so to speak, was the Board of County Com-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 147

missioners or as it was sometimes called, Commissioners' Court, con- sisting of three members. This Board of Commissioners held sway from 1838 to 1 85 1. At that time the people of the state seemed to have become dissatisfied with the county government as administered by three commissioners, and when the laws were revised provision was made in the Code of 1851 for a County Judge. The County Judge was made, by law, the accounting officer and general agent of the County and was invested with the powers which had been exercised by the three commissioners and the Probate Judge. This County Court continued until 1861 when another change was made by which the affairs of the county were to be controlled by a Board of Supervisors consisting of one from each township ; in this county the new board, therefore, was composed of twelve members.

In 1870 another change was made by which we went back to the system of three supervisors, and that has continued to the present time.

In these days when so much is being said about referendum, it is well for us to remember that under the County Judge system of governing county affairs, provision was made for the submission of a great many questions to a vote of the people. There was also provision made in some cases for an appeal to be taken from the decision of the County Judge to the people at the ballot box ; this right was exercised in one case at least, in this county, in regard to the Wapello Ferry franchise. It may be that the people in their wisdom will some day return to the County Judge system, or to something of that kind. In this county we had but three County Judges, the first was Wright Williams, the next Francis Springer and the last Joseph L. Derbin. Judge P. M. Casady of Des Moines, who was one of the ablest and most successful of our Iowa pioneers, in an article upon Judge Springer read by him before the Pioneer Law Makers Association in 1900, referring to the fact that Judge Springer had been County Judge of Louisa county, said : "The office of County Judge of Louisa county was a very important one. At the time Judge Mason was County Judge of Des Moines county, Judge Johnstone was County Judge of Lee county, three prominent and well respected men having charge of the county business of their respective counties. If such men had continued in office, the County Judge system would not have become unpopular."

It is hard to form a judgment from the history of Louisa county, as to which particular system would be the best. In the last analysis, it probably depends more upon the men who hold the offices and who are entrusted with the people's affairs, than it does upon the name or character of the office or the number of officers. In this respect we may agree with Pope as expressed in the latter part of the following lines:

"For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight, His can't be wrong, whose life is in the right ; For forms of government, let fools contest. That which is best administered, is best."

A complete list of all our county officials so far as there are any records to show of their existence, will be found in the preceding chapter. Something of the manner in which they have transacted the county business at various times

148 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

and of the expenses incurred and taxes levied, may be learned from the following financial items which we have taken somewhat at random. It would be im- possible to give all the financial transactions of the county, and we have made no special selection except as to the period during which the Air Line Railroad taxes were being paid. We have given account of all the taxes for all of the years during which that tax was paid, covering the period from 1869 to 1879. The items for this period, and for the earlier years, are given because of their historic interest ; those of later years are given because they are thought to be of importance from an economical, as well as a historical standpoint.

The first financial item we find is in an old book which has nothing on the outside, or on the fly leaf to indicate what it is. but which appears to be the beginning of a sort of cash account of Louisa county. The first item is dated May 15, 1837, from which it appears that the county received $28.50 from William II. R. Thomas.

The next item is November 2d of the same year and shows the receipt from William II. Creighton, collector of the county, $380. This was probably from poll taxes. These two items make a total of $408.50, and on the following page and one or two subsequent pages appear payments made out of this fund. There are payments of sums ranging from eighty-five cents to $2.70. to the various grand jurors and petit jurors, also payment to Samuel Smith, sheriff. of $10 for summoning the grand jurors and $3 for two days' attendance on court. This payment is under date of May 15, 1837. Z. C. Inghram, clerk, was allowed $10 for stationery, and William II. R. Thomas was allowed $1.50 for two days' attendance on court.

Under date of November 2. 1837. are the following items of payment: William H. R. Thomas, deputy sheriff, $12.25; Z. C. Inghram as judge of election one day, $r : J. S. Rinearson, clerk of the board, $2; I. H. Rinearson, $40, as assessor. Then there are payments to William Milligan of $5 and to Jeremiah Smith of $5 and to William Kennedy of $4.87. The payments to Milligan and Smith are undoubtedly for their services as members of the board of supervisors and the payments in William Kennedy was doubtless for his services as clerk of the board and township clerk.

The first treasurer's report found on the file is a very brief document. We quote it in full: "To the board of county commissioners, a true statement of all the moneys received and of all the moneys received and disbursed by me since the October term of A. D., 1838.

Received into the county treasury, $82.15. Paid out, $7.50.

April the 3d, A. D., 1839. Hiram Smith, Treasurer.

L. C. I. T."

On the files is a paper said to be an "exhibit of the receipts into the county treasury of Louisa county since the 1st of January, 1839." and it shows receipts for fines and for licenses from stores, groceries and ferries up to January 6, 1840, of $291.31 r4, and from county revenue paid in as per treasurer's receipt, $5°7-S7T/2, a total of $799.1834. The same paper also gives an exhibit of the expenditures of the county since the rst of January, 1830. as follows:

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

I in

To cash paid County Corns, for services as a board doing County

business $ 202.37JX

To cash paid clerk of District Court for official services, furnishing

stationery for his office, etc 169.00

To cash paid clerk to commissioners board for official services, fur- nishing stationery for the use of his office, etc 160.37

To cash paid Shff. & Deputies for official services 186.83

To amt. paid Grand and Petit Jurors 281.04

To amt. paid Judges & Clerks of Elections 42.00

To amt. paid Witnesses for attendance before District Court, etc ... . 38.63 V2

To amt. paid Const, in attendance before court 15.00

To amt. pd. house rent for holding District and County Courts.... 76.00

To amt. paid prosecuting Atty 47-69

To amt. pd. chn. bearers and staker in surveying out Wapello 23.00

To amt. paid crier of court 9.00

To amt. paid justice fees, etc [5.80

To amt. paid assessor of taxes 57-50

To amt. paid corns, surveyor chn. and marker for surveying territorial

road, etc 103.31

To amt. paid Recorder for Recording Town plat clerking, sale of lots

in Wapello, etc 10.00

County roads, etc 0.00

$1434-55

We find another interesting document from which it appears that the poll taxes in those days were fully as hard to pay as the heavier taxes of the present time. On July 9, 1840, C. M. McDaniel, collector, filed a schedule of the de- linquents for the year 1839. We give the names and amounts:

"Samuel Chaney $1.12

W. H. Sheldon 1.00

John Fleming 1.00

George Emerson 1.00

Robert Knox 1.00

James Williams 1.00

Alhanon Sebriel 1.62^

Bishop Stephens i-32/<2

Charles Ristien 1.00

John Payton 1.02^

Jacob Holbrook 1.00

John Alloway r-32^

Benjamin C. Maxon 1.00

Nathan Blevins 1.00

William Mooney 1.00

Joshua Steam 56J4

William A. Dexter 1.00

Isaac Johnson 1-74ZA

Albert Morgan 1.00

Charles Hill r.65

John Swair 1.00

Moses H. Reed 1.00

John Creighton 1.00

Anthony Thrasher 1.00

John McGowin 1.32

R. E. Slaughter 1.00

William Bevins 1.00

James Majors i.cjo

G. W. Barr 1.91

Alexander Smith 1.10

Fliphelet Chapman 1.00

Angelo Driskell 3.73

Halcom Jonson 1.20

Jacob Wren t . so

Joshua Adams \ .00

Samuel Bartimus 1.00

150 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

E. A. Badgers i.oo Jarred Lewis i.oo

Zachariah Easton i.oo George Faxon i.oo

Joseph Jeffreis i.oo J. W. McClewain i.oo

William Hendrix i.oo John Ecker I-51/^

David M. Hanson 1.84^ A. J. Stark 2.55

Jacob Martin 1.00 Esquire Boyers 1.50

Thomas Knopp 1.51 ' 2 Lewis Nicewonger i-07^4

Charles Woodworth 1.00 J. C. Brown 1.00

Loring Hows ^■2,2V- Joseph Bigger 2-I7//2

Samuel Buel 1.24 A. Beard I-°7%

William Mustien 1.74 William H. Gordon 1.00"

Auston Bond 1.00 Joseph Coder 1.00

We have given the spelling in the above schedule where we could make it out. There are a number of mistakes that will be apparent to almost any one. The name given in the schedule as Alhanon Sebriel may have been intended for Elhanon Siverly.

In addition to the foregoing names the schedule contains the list of taxes dlegally assessed, being poll taxes assessed against persons over sixty years of age. There are six of them assessed at a dollar each, namely: Sylvanus Cary, Aaron Chamberlain. Richard Slaughter, Elisha Searl. Abram Adams. Sr. and John Gilliland.

The first tax levy was made by the board of county commissioners on July 3, 1839, when it ordered the levy of a tax of five mills on the dollar and a poll tax of one dollar per head on every male white inhabitant over the age of twenty- one. On August 1, 1840. the tax levy was five mills on property, and the poll tax seventy-five cents on each qualified voter under fifty years of age. On Jan- uary 6, 1841, the following exhibit of the county's financial affairs was made:

"By amt. of Receipts into the Treasury for fines assessed, Store, Groc- ery & Ferry Licenses $224.19^2

By Amt. of Treasurer's rect. for tax assessed for 1839 214.37^2

By Amt. Revenue in part of the Revenue assessed for 1840 as per

Treasurer's rect 887.65

$1326.22"

The Expenditures of the County in the above period are as follows, to wit:

"To Cash paid County Corns, for services as a Board doing County

business $178.50

Cash paid Sheriff for official services 249.68%

Cash pd. Clk. of District Court for official services 200.74

Cash paid Clk. to Coins. Board for official services 154.341/

Cash paid assessor of Taxable property 121.00

Cash pd. Grand Jurors 422.68

Cash pd. Petit Jurors 66i.o8j4

Cash pd. Judges & Clks. of Election 45-8o

Cash pd. witness before District Court 39-07

Cash pd. Constables 69.00

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 151

Cash paid Prosecutor 50.00

Cash paid Crier of Court 18.00

Cash pd. Road Comr. etc 161.37J4

Cash pd. house rents for Court & Jury 50.00

Cash for books & stationery for the various officers entitled thereto. . 54.50

Cash pd. on publick buildings &c 45-50

Cash for furniture for Clks. office 35-°o

Cash pd. illegal assessments 24.00

Cash expended on Co. property 16.00

Cash pd. Co. Treasurer 1441

Cash for Court house stove 48.25

Justices fees 1-2>1V2

Furniture for Corns. Clk 7.29^2"

The receipts of the county for the year 1842 were $2,090.83}^, nearly all of which was from the collector on the assessment roll of 1841, being we suppose on the tax levy of 1840. We note, however, that there was paid in that year for grocery license $25 and on fines for breaches of the peace, $41, and a few small items for ferry license, etc.

Among the assets of the county given on the treasurer's statement for 1842 are the following: Promissory notes against sundry persons considered respon- sible, given for town lots in the county seat in the year 1839, the legality of the collection of which is a question now pending in the supreme court of this ter- ritory, such notes amounting in principal and interest to $2,038.57, also on hand for the sale of lots subsequent to said sale of 1839, notes against sundry persons amounting, including principal and interest, to $434.89. Also the county orders on hand taken in payment for county lots which orders the county holds against the treasury, $681.05. The expenditures of the county are given at $i04i-351/4 as follows :

"To amount paid to Co. Commissrs. for A. D. 1842 $ 102.00

To amount paid to Clk. of Dis. Court for services in civil and crim- inal cases, stationery, etc 27.63

To amount paid to John Gilliland Clerk of the Co. Com. Board for

services as clerk for 1842 117.80%

To amount paid to C. M. McDaniel Sheriff for fees in certain crim- inal and civil cases, 1842 99-Z7lA

To amount paid to C. M. McDaniel as Collr. for 1841 165.48

To amount paid to Wm. H. R. Thomas, Assessor, for 1842 75-00

To amount paid to Appraisers of Town property IO-75

To amount paid to Collector for money collected by mistake for 1842 4.00 To amount paid to R. P. Lowe as prosecutor for the years 1841 and

1842 225.00

To amount paid to Bailiffs for attendance before Dis. Court for 1842 30.42

To amount paid to Sundry persons for wolf scalps for 1842 67.00

To amount paid to John Drake for fuel for Court Room .75

To amount paid to Chas. Ristine for furniture for office of Clk. of the

Dist. Court 10.00

152 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

To amount paid to P. Swigart for furniture for probate court I5-00

To amount paid to J. S. Rinearson for furniture for Recorder's office 7.00

To amount paid to Sundry persons for illegal assessments 19.82

To amount paid to N. I. & C. M. Ives for error in judgt. in their

favor against County 48-07

To amount paid to Alexr. Finley for making returns of election .... 1.00

To amount paid to Jacob Mintum for services as Clerk of election. ... 1 1.00 To amount paid to J. S. Rinearson for stationery for Recorder's office

for '42 6.8714-

To amount paid to G. F. Thomas for stationery for '42 1.50

To amount paid to Geo. L. Coe for hauling lumber &c 2.00

To amount paid to J. W. & E. Isett for stationery furnished Clk of

Dis. Court for 1842 3-§7^

$1041.35%'

The case referred to as then pending in the supreme court was a case of James M. Clark against John O'Laughlin, reported in 1st Morris Reports, Page 375. James M. Clark, plaintiff, was the commissioner appointed to sell the town lots in Wapello belonging to the county. The case was originally tried in June, [842, in the Louisa county district court before Judge Joseph Williams, who rendered judgment for the defendant on an agreed statement of facts. Edward H. Thomas and Ralph P. Lowe were the attorneys for the plaintiff and Learned, Grimes & Wood, of Burlington, were the attorneys for the defendant. The suit was on two promissory notes given by O'Laughlin as part payment for certain town lots in Wapello. It appears that Commissioner Clark gave O'Laughlin a bond for a deed reciting the sale to O'Laughlin of certain town lots for the sum of $318 and acknowledging receipt of one-eighth of the money and the giving of three notes for $92.75, each payable in six, twelve and eighteen months from the date of the sale, that being June 18, 1839. The bond was conditioned that these notes be paid when due, then on payment of the last note O'Laughlin should have a deed for his lots, but should he fail to pay either or both the first two notes when due, he should pay twenty per cent on the money due until it was paid and should he fail to make full payment of all the notes when the last one became due, with interest as aforesaid, then the lots should revert to the county and the purchaser should forfeit what he had paid on the lots. Suit was on the first two notes. The matter at issue is thus stated by the supreme court : "The only question in the case is to determine the legal effect of this contract. Had the defendant the right to forfeit all he had paid, and thus exon- erate himself from further liability; or was the enforcement of the forfeiture left to the option of the plaintiff? We think the latter is clearly the case. . . . The defendant gave his promissory notes absolute on their face, which, by the law of this territory, might be negotiated, and in the hands of an assignee would at all events, have been collectible. That fact of itself would seem sufficient, in the absence of contrary proof, to show that the defendant intended to bind him- self absolutelv to pay the money." The decision of Judge W'illiams was reversed and it was held that the notes given for the Wapello lots at the sale in June, 1839,

were binding.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 153

It seems that in 1844 there was trouble about the collection of taxes, for at the May session of the county commissioners in that year, William J. R. Flack, collector, was ordered to advertise a sale of land for unpaid taxes and to begin the sale on June 27th. However, at the July session of the board it was ordered that Collector Flack have until the 1st of January, 1845, to collect the taxes and that he offer the lands of delinquents for sale on the second Monday of De- cember. The tax levy which up to this time had been five mills each year on county property, was, at the July session in 1844 made four mills for county pur- poses, with a poll tax of fifty cents on each male person over twenty-one years; and a road tax of ten cents on each dollar of property assessed, and a territorial tax of a half mill on each dollar.

We find the reports of Collector Flack for these tax sales, the first of the kind ever held in the county, and they are of interest for that reason. The first report covers the land sales for taxes of 1843, held on the 28th and 29th of June, and the 1st of July, 1844. for the sale of seven different tracts of land all as- sessed to persons who were named as non-residents or described as unknown owners. The total county tax on all this property was $8.7834, the territorial tax was forty-four cents and the additional costs were $3. At this sale all but one of the tracts were sold to Edward H. Thomas, the other being sold to Samuel Townsend. The report of the sale held on Monday and Tuesday, the 9th and 10th days of December, 1844, for the taxes of 1842 and 1843 shows the sale of seven tracts aggregating six hundred and forty acres, the total tax of which was $10.37, and the costs $2.6234. All these tracts were sold to Edward H. Thomas.

We copy in full the statement of the receipts and expenditures of the county for 1844. compiled on January 1, 1845:

"receipts.

"Received from Geo. F. Thomas, Co. Revenue for the year 1844. .$543.81^4

Reed, of same for Territorial tax for 1844 59-68J4

Reed, of Wm. J. R. Flack for Co. taxes due for 1842-3 1 199.4034

From same for Territorial tax for 1842-3 50.00

From Wm. H. 1\. Thomas Co. Revenue for 1843 300.16

Territorial tax 20.33

Ferry Licenses —

Messrs. Todd & Brown 3.00

E. C. Whipple 3-00

Wm. L. Toole 1.00

Grocery Licenses

Geo. Helbig 30.00

A. Dressier 30.00

License to sell clocks —

Ira Brown 7.50

Cash reed, on Acct. of Estrays 8.50

Cash reed, on Acct. of fines 10.00

$2272.3914

154 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

EXPENDITURES.

County Commissioners —

Wright Williams $ 39.50

Spencer Wilson 40.00

Merit Jamison 40.50

J . R. McGannon 5.00

John Gilliland, Clk. of Co. Commisrs 159.18%

Z. C. Inghram Clk. of Dist. Court for services &c 28.00

Geo. L. Thomas, Treasurer, for services 182.14*4

Wm. H. R. Thomas 9300

Constables for services at District Court 9.00

Expenses for the Court House -.37/4

Talesmen on Petit Jury 1 1.00

For Surveying and other expenses on Roads 21.25

For Wolf Scalps 106.50

Co. Recorder J. S. Rinearson for stationery 3.00

Stationery for various County Officers 14-34

Assessors —

J. S. Morrison, Columbus City Township 26.00

James Helverson, Florence 21.00

Joseph Burr, Grandview 20.00

John Benson, Jefferson 20.00

Geo. W. Messick, Fredonia 20.00

Jas. W. Isett, Wapello 21.00

District Prosecutor —

Edward H. Thomas 175-00

Francis Springer 10.00

L. D. Stockton 10.00

Jacob Milligan for notifying coins. &c 1.50

For taking acknowledgmt. of deeds , -87^2

For guarding a prisoner 4.00

Judges of Elections 29.90

Clerks of Election 22.60

Witnesses in Criminal Cases 17.08

Sundry expenses for paupers !3-50

County furniture .75

E. H. Thomas bal. on old account 2.65

Amount of Expenditures 1 170.65^4

Paid out for free ferry 1 14.75

Assets of Louisa County $1285.40^4

Notes on hand given for lots upon the Co. qr. sold (some doubtful)

amounting to 2465.54

County Revenue uncollected & due for the year 1843 II47-I4

Ditto for 1844 1569.99

Town lots (value unknown) 5182.67

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 155

INDEBTEDNESS OF LOUISA COUNTY.

Amt. of Judgmt. Ives &c. vs. County $ 836.09

Territorial Tax vs. County i98-36

County Orders outstanding say 50.00

Amt. of assets over indebtedness exclusive of Town lots unsold .... 4098.22

RECAPITULATION •

Receipts of Louisa County for 1844 2272.39^

Expenditures for 1844 1285.40^4

Excess of receipts over expenditures $ 986.99^"

Following is the receipt of Treasurer Thomas for the tax list of 1845 :

"Received August 18, 1845, of the Board of Commissioners for Louisa county Iowa Territory six several abstracts of the assessment rolls of the several Town- ships in said County for collection of the Taxes therein charged for the year 1845 amounting to, in County Tax eighteen hundred and sixteen dollars 29^2 cents and Territorial to Two hundred and four dollars and 33J4 cents. In all Two thousand and twenty dollars and sixty-three cents.

George F. Thomas, Treasurer & Exoffic'w Collector of Louisa County, I. T."

On the 2 1st of January, 1846, Treasurer Thomas made a complete statement of the condition of the county treasury at that date. It is a lengthy document and is in the handwriting of Francis Springer. The receipts since January 1st, 1845, are given as follows:

From William J. R. Flack collector for the year 1843 $ 64.85

From William J. R. Flack in county orders 181.81

Taxes collected by the treasurer in 1845 on the tax list of 1844 9^9-44

Penalties on delinquent taxes 74-75

Taxes of 1845 collected 39°-85

Various other items on ferry licenses and notes for town lots in Wapello bring the total receipts up to $829.20. The report shows also that the treasurer had paid on judgment to Kirkpatrick & Company against the county $470 and to the territorial treasurer $65, and had taken up county orders amounting to $1,026.17.

The report then gives in great detail the assets of the county which we sum- marize as follows :

Outstanding county and territorial taxes $2,417.23^4

Cash in treasurer's hands 339-84

Notes for lots in Wapello 1,843.88

156 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Concerning these notes it is said : "The ahove notes were all given for lots in Wapello and may be considered available (though not perhaps for the whole amounts due) because they are liens upon lots. It is also said that there are one hundred and thirty unsold lots in Wapello, the average value of which is $20. making for this last term $2.1 1:10.

There are also given a few accounts on individuals due to the county, amount- ing to $55.(12' j. which makes the total assessment of the county $7,256.58%, and its liabilities are stated as follows:

Due S. M. Kirkpatrick & Company on judgment $ 712. n

Due the territory 247-54

School money 71.81

Total liabilities of the county 1,031.46

The count)' receipts for 1846 given in Treasurer Thomas' report of January 1. 1847, amounted to 81,022.7(1, the principal amounts being from collections on the tax lists of 1844, 1845 and 1846. The report shows county orders taken up by the treasurer amounting to $1,184.08, and the payment of $480 on the Kirk- patrick judgment and the payment to Francis Springer "captain of Louisa ( kiards" of the following items:

• >ne stand of collars $15.00

One French born 8.00

One bugle 2.00

( )ne trumpet 4 crook 6.00

It would appear from the following report that it was either the duty or the custom of the treasurer to make a separate report as to school funds in his hands.

"To S. M. Kirkpatrick, Clerk of the Board of Commissioners of Louisa ( ounty. State of low a. The following is a report of the amount of school funds on hand on the first Monday of March. 1847, to be divided among the several townships in said Louisa County, State of Iowa.

"Amount collected on tax duplicate for 1846 $232.94

Amount arising from strays 83.00

Amount arising from breach of the peace TI3-25

Amount arising from grocery license 100.00

Total amount $529.19

"Respectfully submitted to your Honor this eighth day of March, 1847.

G. F. Thomas, Treasurer of Louisa County, Iowa."

The following is the receipt of the taxes collected for the first tax list levied in the county after Iowa became a state and it shows that statehood was expensive from the very first.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 157

'■Received Wapello Aug. H>, 1847, of the commissioners of Louisa County, State of Iowa, the tax list for collection for the year Eighteen hundred and forty- seven ( 184- ). Amounts as follows to wit:

cents mills

I 'oil tax $ 3/8.50

County tax 1 1 15.48.8

State tax 1076.99.2

Schooi tax 269.24.8

Samuel Townsexd, Collector of Louisa Comity, Iowa"

It will be interesting to compare the receipt for the tax list of 1847 with the following receipt for the tax list for the year 1851 :

"Received Wapello, September 10, 185 1, of the Hon. Wright Williams, County Judge, the tax duplicate for the year 1851, for collections.

Amount of County Tax $2,148.12

Amount of State Tax 2,148.12

Amount of School Tax 358.02

Amount of Road Tax 716.04

No. of Polls 965 at 50c 482.50

No. of Polls 915 at $2.00 assessed for road purposes 1,830.00

Amounting in all to the sum of $7,682.80

Samuel Townsend, Treasurer of Louisa County, Iowa."

The report of Samuel Townsend made July 7, 1852, for the year ending July 1st contains a few items of interest. It shows the total amount of taxes collected as follows :

County Tax $2,824.17

State Tax 2,138.41

School Tax '. . . 655v8

Road Tax 1.896.75

It shows payments from these various funds as follows :

From the county fund $2,656.90

From the school fund 602.00

On account of roads 1 ,907.45

being a slight overpayment, and it shows paid to the state treasurer $1,499.

The following receipt shows the tax levy made in 1852 and the large increase in the amount of countv tax is accounted for by the building of the new court house :

158 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

"Received of the county judge for collection the tax list of Louisa County, State of Iowa, as follows, to wit:

Amount of county tax including poll $6,338.67

Amount of state tax 2,122.45

Amount of school tax 730.21

Amount of poll road tax on personalty 2.174.24

Amount of road tax on real estate 1,046.28

Wapello, September 15. 1852, said taxes having been assessed for the year 1852.

Samuel Townsend, Treasurer of Louisa County, Iowa."

The following is an abstract of the assessment for the year 1852:

"Abstract of the Assessment of Louisa County, for the year 1852, as made and returned by Samuel K. Helmick, Assessor.

Property No. Val. Cts.

1. Lands (No. of acres) 168,089^ $990,859

2. Town Lots 47,980

3. Horses 1,931 85.159

4. Mules and Asses 29 1 ,325

5. Neat Cattle 7,444 73,201 y2

6. Sheep 5,°77 ''.849

7. Swine 10,942 ^-goS

8. Capital employed in merchandise 48,550

9. Capital employed in manufactories 21,867

10. Carriages and vehicles of every description <>-- 10,718^4

11. Monies and credits 78,341

12. Taxable household furniture ''.427

13. Stocks or shares in any corporation or companv . . . -.472

14. Boats or other vessels 689

15. Annuities

16. Ferry franchise 93

17. All other personal property not enumerated -".533

18. Polls 1. 013

Total valuation 195, 502 y2 $1,414,969

State of Iowa, Louisa County: to wit:

I, Jacob Mintun, Clerk of said County, do hereby certify the above to be a true and correct Abstract of the Assessment of said County for the year 1852, as taken from the original returns now on file in this Office.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said County, this 10th day of June, 1852.

Jacob Mintun, Clerk of Louisa County. By G. A. Jones,

Depty. Clk."

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 159

We next give the receipt for the tax list of 1854:

"Received of the County Judge of said County the tax list for the year 1854, with the following amounts footed up for collections, to wit :

County Tax $8,100.92

State Tax 2,326.85

School Tax 928.69

Poll Road Tax 2,552.07

Road Tax 1,858.38

Total $15,766.91

John C. Tucker, Treasurer Louisa County, Iowa."

From the report of Samuel Townsend, treasurer of Louisa county, for the year ending June 30, 1856, we take the following items:

The receipts for that year of the county fund, state fund, road fund, school fund and swamp land fund, aggregated $24,051.96, the greater part of which was county fund. The road tax collected that year was a little over $4,000. The school tax collected that year by the county was about $1,200.

The same treasurer's report for the year ending June 30, 1857, according to this report was : Receipts for the year about $34,000, in which is included the item of railroad tax amounting to $5,340.34. At the close of the report for 1857 the treasurer gives the following account of the assets and liabilities of the county :

ASSETS.

Public buildings $ 10,000

Courthouse square and town lots 5.000

Poor farm and buildings 7-5oo

Swamp lands, preempted and sold 21,147

Claims against United States for swamp lands 20,000

Fund in hands of treasurer !,792

Railroad stock 100,000

Interest for county bonds on hand 1,466

Unpaid taxes 1 ,500

Total assets $168,405

LIABILITIES.

Outstanding warrants about $ 2,000

Railroad bonds 100,000

Interest due on railroad bonds 933

Due on poor farm buildings 2,500

Due on poor farm 1 ,800

Total liabilities $107,233

Assets over liabilities 61,172

160 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

The following is the treasurer's receipt for the tax list for the year 1S57, which shows among other things. Mime Air Line railroad tax:

"Received Wapello, November 25. 1857, of Jos. L. Derbin, County Judge of said County, the tax duplicate of said County for the Year 1857 f°r collec- tion according to law. said duplicate containing the following taxes, viz:

County Tax $14,25.?. 71

State Tax 10.650.78

School Tax 2,658. 16

Railroad Tax 10,650.78

Road Tax 5,320.56

T. .tal Amt. of Taxes $43>532-( >' '

Nov. -'5. '57 William A. Colton,

Treasurer. J. M. Wilson,

Deputy."

The following statement covering the years 1858, 1859, i860 and 1801. was published in the Wapello Republican, early in the year 1862:

Statement of Expenditures of Louisa County for 1858, 1859, i860 and [861, including amounts allowed by the Board of Supervisors at January session, [862.

[86] i860 185., 1858

Attorneys Fees $ -'40.00 $ 418.50 $ 301.45 S 536.50

Sal. and Ok. Hire, Co. officers 3,009.57 3,814.71 4,172.48 3,201.10

Jail Expenses No. 411 388.71 782.63 212.40

Jail Building ''52.51 2,191.99

Pauper Expenses ^(>2.22 77^-7'' 040.34 1. 505. 12

Poor Farm Expenses 185.68 198.51 32.80 130.00

Printing 501 1.85 906.40 73-00 5-5-40

Assessors 735-5° 402.31 854.98 302.50

Roads and Bridges 51.50 219.85 0157 I02-55

Swamp Lands 281.76 3,162.83 224.52 17.483.43

Elections 176.84 201.90 165.60 440.50

Books and Stationery 390.87 717.88 340.64 on. 10

Court House Expense 46.'>5 348.28 1,321.59

Public Square 17.75 109.22 562.83

Contingent Expenses 388.09 108.72 44'-77 7l-l9

Township Officers 370.27 433-34 401. 1 1 420.80

District Court 635.25 698.58 7<;4-35 7,fl-35

Criminal Expenses 425-75 "63-64 751-75 500.61

Wood and Lights 85.79 1 14.65 128.40 239.50

Inquest 16.25 107.38 51.45 66.20

Grand Jury Expenses 481.00 470.20 497-79 571-10

Volunteer Relief 219.96

Insane Hospital '87.17

$9,683.23 .SrO.103.20 $11,493.20 $29,620.46

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 161

County Warrants outstanding January 7, 1861 $19,779.91

County Warrants outstanding January 6, 1862 14,947.02

County Tax uncollected 25,355.29

County Tax collected in 1861 12,679.58

In 1866 the assessed valuation of property was as follows :

Lands $1,731,324.00

Town property 154,938.00

Personal property 885,577.00

Total $2,771,839.00

The tax levy that year was as follows :

State Tax $ 6,932.97

County Tax 12,306.41

School Tax (both county and district) 26,024.70

Road Tax 864.72

Insane Hospital Tax 2,769.71

Bridge Tax 2,769.71

Total Tax Levy $51,668.22

The tax levy for 1868 was quite similar to that for 1866 except in the matter of school taxes, the total of which amounted to $32,219.77.

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered to him October 27, 1869, shows a total of $71,442.29, of which the

State tax was $ 6,432.54

County tax 14,189.03

Bridge tax 4,815.13

Insane hospital tax 3,213.89

This year an Air Line railroad tax was also levied. The treasurer's receipt for this tax on Dec-ember 13, 1869, shows the amount of $57,900.22.

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered to him November 5, 1870, shows :

State tax $ 6,271.84

County tax 13,901.18

Bridge tax 4>7°3-88

Railroad tax 31,352.80

An "Airline" tax was levied in February, 1870, amounting to 32,194.04

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered to him November 6, 1871, shows a total tax for all purposes of $110,080.59, 0I which the

State tax was $ 7>555-93

County tax 16,428.85

Vol. 3—11

162 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Bridge tax 7.555-93

Insane hospital tax 3>777-96

Railroad tax 37,779.61

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered to him November 1, 1873, shows :

State tax $ 7.039.05

County tax 14,078.15

Bridge tax 8,798.80

Railroad bond tax 14,078.15

District school tax 31,381.06

County school tax 3,519.54

The total of this list, including corporation taxes, road taxes, etc., amounts to $84,129.36.

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered to him November 2, 1874. shows :

State tax $ 7,066.23

County tax 14,132.46

Bridge tax 7,066.23

District school taxes 26,985.01

County school taxes 3,533.12

Insane hospital 1 ,766.55

Railroad bond 35-33I-I5

The total of this list amounts to $101,145.56.

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered to him November 2, 1875, shows :

State tax $ 7,287.64

County tax 18,219.10

Bridge tax 5,465-73

District school tax 21,125.42

County school tax 3,643.82

Railroad bond 18,219.10

The total of this list amounts to $81,314.40.

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered to him October 2^,, 1876, shows :

State tax $ 7,455.20

County tax 22,365.58

Bridge tax 5.59MO

Railroad bond 18,638.00

District school tax 22,765.03

County school tax 3,727.60

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 163

The total for this list for all purposes is $88,606.05.

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered to him November 2, 1877, is not materially different from the preceding, the total being $93,855.62. The railroad bond tax on this list was $11,069.52, and there was also a pauper tax of one mill on the dollar, amounting to $3,689.84.

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered to him November 1, 1878, shows substantially the same as the preceding, the total being $92,057.81 ; the railroad bond tax was $10,937.08, and there was also this year a pauper tax of $3,645.69, being one mill.

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered to him November 3, 1879, shows a total of $84,810.02, being for

State tax $ 7,086.26

County tax 21 ,258.77

Bridge tax 10,629.39

District school tax 24,211.21)

County school tax 3-543- ' 3

Railroad bond tax 8,857.82

We may note in passing that the railroad bond tax levied in 1879 was the last of that tax levied and that the total amount of railroad bond tax levied beginning with 1869 and ending with 1879, was $285,217.24. It will be seen by the article on the Air Line railroad that the total expense of that project to the people of the county is placed at $298,665.52. The addition of the $13,448.28 represents the interest and penalties which accumulated on the taxes levied in 1869, 1870 and 1871.

The receipt for tax list for the year 1891 shows a total lax for all purposes, including corporation taxes, road taxes, etc., $77,424.14. Of this the

District school taxes were $31,255.46

County school tax 3>73x-93

State tax 7,463.87

County tax 14,927.74

Bridge tax : 9,329.84

The treasurer's receipt for tax list delivered to him on December 30, 1893. shows a total tax levy for all purposes, including schools, corporations, roads, etc., $93,700.65. Of this the

District school tax was $32,794.38

County school tax 3,862.02

State tax 7,726.68

County tax 23,172.14

Bridge tax 11,586.07

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered on December 1, 1895. shows a total tax levy for all purposes of $96,158.74. Of this the

164 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

District school tax was $36,212.04

County school tax 3-797-°9

State tax 9,492.60

County tax 22,782.49

Bridge tax 1 1 ,391 .27

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered on December 31, 1898, shows a total for all purposes of $98,300.05, of which the

District school tax was $36,395.32

County school tax 3,475.74

State tax 11,122.37

County tax 1 5,640.82

Bridge tax 10,427.22

Relief for the poor 5,213.61

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered December 31. 1900, shows a total for all purposes of $1 19,272.79, of which the

District school tax was $40,240.33

County school tax 3,654.95

State tax 9,502.39

County tax 18,274.84

Relief of poor 3,654.95

County farm improvement fund 10,967.43

Bridge tax 10,964.81

The insane tax on this list was $7,309.83, which is fully twice as large as it was on most of the lists previously noted.

The treasurer's receipt in December, 1902, for the tax list of that year shows as follows :

I 'oil tax $ 1 ,699.00

State tax 13,601.09

State university 777-20

State normal school 388.60

State college 777.20

County fund 15,545.10

Poor relief 7,772.05

Bridge fund 11 ,659.07

Insane hospital 1,943.01

County insane : 97x-50

County school 1,336.03

District school 47,456.71

County road tax 562.50

Delinquent road tax 3,003.27

Corporations 8,088.82

County board of health 906.41

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 165

There are a few small items such as cemetery tax, dog tax, repairs on the Hoffman levee, etc., these latter amounting to about $2,000. The total of the tax list for this year was $123,653.71.

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered to him in December, 11)03, shows as follows :

Poll tax $ 1,656.00

State tax 12,630.80

State university 842.05

State college 842.05

State normal school 4-I-°3

County fund 16,838.28

Poor relief 8,420.53

Bridges 1 2,630.80

County insane 1 ,052.56

County road 4,210.27

Township road tax 13,251.89

Delinquent road tax 5,421.54

County school tax 4,210.27

District school tax 49,155.29

Soldiers relief 1,032.56

Corporations 8,542.10

There are a few smaller items, amounting to a little over $1,000, which bring the total for this year up to $144,474.73.

It will be noticed that the total tax levy took a jump of over $20,000 from 1902 to 1903. It was not long after this increase was noticed until certain county politicians were blaming the gentleman who then happened to be gover- nor, for the enormous increase in taxes in this county. A comparison of the items of tax for the two years, however, will show that there was an actual decrease in the tax levied for state purposes and an increase in almost every- thing else.

It will also be interesting to note the corporation taxes for 1903 for principal towns in the county and also the school taxes for school districts which em- brace these same towns. It must be borne in mind, however, that the boundaries of the school districts and of towns are not identical, there being considerable land included in the school districts which is not included in the towns.

Columbus Junction school district $5,037.96

Columbus Junction corporation 2,756.31

Columbus City school district 1,860.21

Columbus City corporation 211.59

Letts school district 1,847.81

Letts Corporation 416.60

Grandview school district 766.44

Grandview corporation 1 70.46

166 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Morning Sun school district 3,956.27

Morning Sun corporation 1 ,933-87

Oakville school district 671.57

Oakville corporation 462.51

Wapello school district 7,162.09

Wapello corporation 2,760.30

The treasurer's receipt given in December, 1905, for the tax list of that year shows a total of $148,296.02, the principal items of which are as follows:

State tax $13,697.39

Count)- tax 21,404.51

Bridges 17,123.56

County school tax 4,280.89

District school tax 56,592.86

Township road tax 12,964.77

County road tax 1,070.22

Delinquent road tax 452.00

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered to him in 1907 shows a total of $146,163.34, the principal items of which are as follows:

State Tax $15,296.93

County Tax 19,796.03

Poor 2,249.55

Bridges 17,996.39

County School Tax 4,499.10

School Districts 50,853.03

Total Road Tax 14,403.40

The treasurer's receipt for December, 1909, shows a total of $168,873.26. We note the following items :

State Tax $15,887.68

County Tax 21,788.82

Poor 2,269.97

Bridges 18,157.36

County Road Tax 2,269.67

Township Road Tax 15,012.16

Soldiers Relief 9°7-99

Poll Tax 1,58400

Dog Tax 1,166.00

County School Tax 4,539.34

District School Tax 55,532.47

Total tax for this year $168,873.26

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 167

We note also for 1909 the tax levy for the same school districts and incorpor- ated towns as are given for 1903.

Columbus Junction School District $ 6,613.51

Columbus Junction Corporation 3,243.01

Columbus City School District T,39742

Columbus City Corporation 617.78

Letts School District 2,160.32

Letts Corporation 604.96

Morning Sun School District 10,967.53

Morning Sun Corporation 2,693.26

Oakville School District 1,083.84

Oakville Corporation 698.05

Wapello School District 5>249-46

Wapello Corporation , 5,418.00

Grandview School District 1,652.78

Grandview Corporation 426.88

The treasurer's receipt for the tax list delivered to him in December, 1910, shows the following:

State Tax $16,064.37

County Fund 23,366.36

Bridges 19.471.96

Poor 3,894-39

Soldiers Relief 1,460.40

State University 973-60

State College 973-6o

State Normal School 486.80

County School Tax 4,867.99

District Schools 73,234.20

Township Road Tax 15,245.05

County Road Tax 2,434.00

Poll Tax 1,616.50

Dog Tax 1,126.00

Delinquent road and some state taxes 2,310.59

Corporation Tax 17,413.90

Township Cemetery Tax 1,779-59

General Purposes 296.01

Total exclusive of drainage taxes $188,434.63

The drainage taxes levied at the same time to be paid in 191 1 amounted to $19,640.86, making the total contribution of the people of Louisa county for the benefits of state, county and local government, $208,175.49.

168 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

The school taxes and corporation taxes for the same districts and towns as heretofore given for 1903 and 1909, were on the 1910 tax list as follows:

Columbus Junction School District $ 7,165.69

Columbus Junction Corporation 5,169.70

Columbus City School District 2,027.14

Columbus City Corporation 904.23

Letts School District 2,668.74

Letts Corporation 802.40

Grandview School District 1,289.26

Grandview Corporation 790-!9

Morning Sun School District 9,151.28

Mi niiing Sun Corporation 3,276.66

Oakville School District 4,219.07

Oakville Corporation 614.40

Wapello School District 7,475.02

Wapello Corporation 7,136.14

Following is a list of the assessed valuation of all the property in the county for the years from 1900 to 1901, and of the total taxes levied in the county for all purposes for the years from 1900 to 1910:

Popula- Assessed Value of Total Taxes of

tion Year County County State Taxes

11,873 — 1900 $14,619,068.00 $119,389.18 $9,502.39

1 901 15.330,664.00 1 18,94548

i<K)2 15,544.100.00 123,653.71

1903 16.841,068.00 144,474.73

1904 16,980,092.00 145.691 40

12,893 — T9°5 19,241,996.00 148,296.02

1906 17.236,292.00 143.010.28

[907 17,985.144.00 146,162.04

1908 16,525.088.00 153,715.76

1909 18,307.224.00 168,873.26

1 2.555— iqio 208,175.49 16,064.37

swamp land and drainage.

Closely related to Finances and Taxes is the subject of swamp land and drainage.

This matter has been of considerable importance to Louisa county from a com- paratively early date. Our first County Judge. Wright Williams, seems to have made the first move in the matter, soon after the first swamp land legislation was enacted by the Iowa Legislature. We next find that County Judge. Fran- cis Springer interested himself in the matter, and the records contain a copy of a letter addressed by him to the commissioner of the general land office at Wash- ington, complaining of the fact that the swamp land selections for Louisa I ounty were not made available to the county. It seenis from the letter, that

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 169

the land office had adopted a rule not to confirm the swamp land selections for any of the counties in Iowa until reports had been received from all of the coun- ties. The letter points out that at that time a large part of the state was sparsely settled, and many of the counties not yet fully organized. It is stated in this letter that the swamp land selections in Louisa county embraced some 40.000 acres. This letter was dated April 20, 1865.

About 1857 the county began to realize something from its swamp lands. It is difficult to get at the exact facts and figures. A part of the confusion is due to the fact that the Swamp Land Act passed by Congress September 28. 1850, under which the State of Iowa secured title to the swamp lands, was at first believed only to include such tracts as were designated on the plats of the govern- ment surveys as swamp lands and unfit for cultivation. This was the form of the bill as originally reported, but it had been amended to include overflowed lands without reference to their description on the government plats. While the country was settling up, thousands of acres of lands which were in fact subject to overflow, but which were not designated as swamp land on the government plats, were settled upon. Of course these lands afterward were selected as swamp lands and claimed by the various counties in which they were situated. Several thousand acres of swamp lands in Louisa county were settled upon prior to their selection, and many others had been sold by the government for cash. Eventually the county was compensated for these lands, compensation for those sold by the government was in cash, and other lands were granted to Louisa county in lieu of the Louisa county swamp lands which had been sold before the selection. Most of these lands .were situated in Emmet and Hancock counties, and were afterwards sold by the county for prices ranging from $1.25 to $2.50 per acre.

Under the act of Congress it was contemplated that the proceeds of the sales of swamp lands should be used toward reclaiming them and for making roads and bridges. The first enterprise of this kind undertaken by the county was in Eliot township. The matter was brought to the attention of Francis Springer, County Judge, by a petition signed by William Stewart and a number of other residents of that locality : at this time Alexander Ross was Drainage Commissioner, and on July 7, 1857, he issued a notice stating that in accordance with an order of the County Court, the work on Section number one of the swamp land improvement in Louisa county would be to let to the lowest bidder on August 8, 1857 : the work was described as being the construction of an em- bankment commencing 2,000 feet west of the Iowa slough on the south side of the Iowa river, and running east and north three miles according to the report of the county surveyors then on file: or so much thereof beginning at the initial point at the west end as the means at the disposal of the County Court would allow. Contract for the work was let on August 8, 1857, to Michael Buckley & Co. at 17 y2 cents per cubic yard. The surveying was done by engineers G. P. Sherwood, W. S. Kremer, T. W. Bailey and A. B. Miller at different times, the principal part of the surveying seems to have been done by G. P. Sherwood.

The amount expended by Louisa County on this particular improvement was about $9,262.85. On May 17, 1858, the County Judge notified Michael Buckley & Co., that the means at the disposal of the County Court for the construction of the Eliot township levee were exhausted and that they should discontinue work.

170 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

On September n. 1858, it was reported to the Court that a continuance of the swamp land improvement in Section One would enhance the value of lands in Des Moines county, and that Des Moines county, at its expense, would build three- fourths of a mile of said improvement commencing at Station 128 of the original survey. An order was made permitting Des Moines county to continue the work.

About this same time, that is, in 1857 and 1858, the county expended nearly Si 5.000.00 in building a levee on Muscatine Island; and also expended about $1,400.00 on the road between Toolsboro and Burris City, and something like $1,000 or $1,200.00 in Wapello and Morning Sun townships. These items to- gether aggregate nearly $27,000.00 of the swamp land fund which was expended by this county in 1856, 1857 and 1858. The lands which the county received in the northern part of the state were not sold until about 1870; it appears that the county realized from these lands and a few scattering pieces of swamp lands still left in this county, about $28,000.00 more, and a considerable part of this money was expended in drainage projects in the various townships which contained swamp lands, other than Eliot and Port Louisa. The expenditures for this pur- pose at this time, were about, as near as can be ascertained from the records, Si8,ooo.oo.

A Swamp Land Commissioner was appointed for each of the various town- ships where money was to be expended. T. M. Parsons was the first commis- sioner for Jefferson township, and was succeeded by Asher Sillick. Jesse Harris was the commissioner for Wapello township, William Bell for Morning Sun, H. P. Pike for Marshall, James Higbee for Elmgrove, S. E. Wilson,for Columbus City. S. S. Wilcox for Union, Phillip Thompson for Concord and Milton Car- penter in Oakland township.

I (rainage work was practically at a standstill in this county from this time until the passage of the new drainage law by the 30th General Assembly which inaugurated a new drainage era. A large number of drainage districts have been organized in Louisa County under this law and the amendments that have since been made to it, and we append hereto a brief reference to those of importance. We hail hoped to be able to give the figures for each of these districts showing the ami mnts expended for different purposes, but they are not yet available for any but Xo. 4 which are given.

On September 16, 1903, the board of supervisors established what has since been known as Drainage District No. 1, which included all that portion of sec- tions 2T,. 24. 2^, and 21 1, township J}, north, range 2 west, lying within the cor- porate limits of the town of Oakville. This took in practically all of the town of Oakville. The total cost of the work done in this district was about $2,000.00.

Drainage District Xo, 2 was established on the petition of W. S. Gunnels, March 22. 1906, to include about 2,717 acres. The engineer was J. A. Shriner and his original estimate of the cost was $11,311.20. The engineer originally re- ported that the main ditch in this district should be six feet deep, with a bottom width of twenty feet and the top width twenty-four feet, and the first assessment of the costs was made on this basis. Later it was agreed by all parties that the ditch be only twenty feet wide at the top and five feet deep, and six feet wide at the bottom, and the assessment was made at $9,355, the basis being at a rate of about $4 an acre for land benefited one hundred per cent. It w-as found after- wards that it was necessarv to raise something like two or three thousand dollars

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 171

additional. This district was situated southwest of Wapello in sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, of township yi, north, range 3 west, and in sections 1, 12. 31 and 32 of township 74-3.

District No. 4 was a joint district, situated in Louisa and Des Moines counties. The part in Louisa county was situated entirely in Eliot township and about three- fourths of the land in the entire district was situated in Louisa county. Petition for this district was filed by G. W. Gale and others on June 20, 1907, and J. A. Shriner was appointed engineer. His first report seems to have been filed, Feb- ruary 20, 1908, and his estimate of the number of acres included in the district was 16,750, and his estimate of the cost was as follows :

For excavation of ditches $ 2,619

Removal of obstruction in channels 1,000

Boiler, engine, pumps and fixtures 27-J89

Buildings and sitting machinery 5,ooo

Preliminary expenses, superintendents, etc 3-55°

Total $39,388

M. J. Deihl. of Louisa county, and Gust A. Bergston, of Des .Moines county, were appointed commissioners and they in conjunction with the engineer went over the ground and these commissioners approved the engineer's report with the addition of a number of tile drains, which would cost as estimated by the engineer, $2,926, making the probable cost of the improvements, $42,314, as estimated by these commissioners. As originally contemplated, this district included the town of Oakville, comprising District No. 1, already established and also about 4,000 acres contiguous to Oakville, mostly on the south and southwest, and a little of it immediately north of Oakville. The landowners of this part of the proposed district objected to its being taken in, with the result that when the district was established on June 24, 1908, this land was left out of the district.

On June 27. 1908, the joint boards appointed Jacob A. Harmon engineer, and required him to give bond in the sum of $5,000 and entered into a contract with him, providing for him to do all the work required as engineer and to employ such additional labor as might be necessary and that the compensation therefor should be as follows : For Jacob A. Harmon. $10 per day for the time actually employed by him in such work and his necessary and reasonable traveling expenses. For as- sistant engineers and draftsmen $5 per day; for recorders, $3 per day, ten hours to be a day's work in the field, and for all other labor employed on such work, the actual cost thereof. It was also agreed that said engineer Harmon should be paid in installments as the work progressed, five per cent of the cost of construct- ing the levee and ditches, and five per cent of the cost of the pumping plant, ma- chinery, etc. Engineer Harmon made elaborate plans for the entire work and the same was completed at a total cost of $131,664.34. The principal items of this cost are as follows :

Pumping plant complete, including machinery $46,521.31

Open ditches 31,579.81

Tile ditches 15,525.91

172 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Engineer's residence i ,980.09

Attorney's fees 1,280.00

Miscellaneous 1 ,102.27

Printing 694.25

Damages 8,447.00

Engineering expenses 24,543.70

Total actual cost $131,674.34

Estimated when established 42,314.00

The amount stated for engineering expenses may not be entirely correct, but it is the nearest approximation that can be made from the records in the Au- ditor's office of Louisa county. The share of all the expense of District No. 4 borne by Louisa county was three-fourths, or practically that, and the Auditor has a record so made that it shows the various amounts paid by Louisa -county for the various purpose-;, as above stated, except that there is an item of $6,246.52 being Louisa county's share of the preliminary expenses, which is not thus sep- arated. The amount paid by Louisa county, including this last item is $98,755.76, and Des Moines county's share would be about $32,918.58 making a total cost of $131.6,74.34.

It is possible that there were a few hundred dollars in the preliminary expense account that would not properly be chargeable to the engineering expenses, but it is sa'fe to say that the engineering expenses of this drainage district have already amounted to considerable more than one half of the original estimate for the whole enterprise. Whatever else may be said of Drainage District No. 4. its history at least shows the wisdom, from the engineer's standpoint, of hav- ing a contract whereby his compensation will be, in addition to his per diem, five per cent of all that he can make the work cost the district.

The amount given for miscellaneous expense includes some extra work in the Auditor's office of the two counties, surveying, notices, pav of commissioners, etc.

In regard to the amount of $8,447.00 given as damages, it is probable that something like $4,000.00 of that was for the purchase of the farm which the supervisors have been leasing since that time.

Soon after the establishment of District No. 4, two levee districts were estab- lished, being Nos. 5 and 6. The two together included all of the levee on the Mis- sissippi and Iowa river referred to so far as it protected any of the lands in Drain- age District No. 4. At a somewhat later period the entire levee constructed by the United States government near the mouth of Flint creek was included in one levee district, being Louisa and Des Moines District, No. 16, and this latter dis- trict absorbed the levee districts 5 and 6.

The next district established in Louisa county was Levee District No. 8, petitioned for by J. N. Dutton and others. This levee was along the east side of the Iowa river southeast of Wapello and north of Oakville, and commenced near the quarter section corner on the south side of section 22. 73-2. and extended about five and a quarter miles to the north to a point on the bluff a little south and west of section 8, 73-2. This district included about 2.600. J. A. Shriner

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 173

was appointed engineer and he estimated the cost of the levee and the outlet pipe for the interior waters of the district to be $23,279.57. The contract for the work in this district was let to W. P. Bumgardner, of Wapello, and he sub-let the same to Phelps & Peterson. The improvement was completed for about the original estimate. The order of the board establishing this district was made September 28. 1908, and the work was completed within about a year.

The next district was Levee District No. 9, and was petitioned for by J. E. Dennis and others, December 29, 190(1. and included the land in Oakland town- ship known as Marsh or the Big Marsh, lying in sections 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 15 and 16, in township 76, range 5, and included about 890 acres. W. S. Kremer was appointed engineer of this district. He afterward resigned and J. A. Shriner succeeded him. Mr. Kremer's original estimate of the cost of the improvement to be made in this district was $4,300. The contract for this work was taken by some of the landowners interested in it, and the total cost was not far from the original estimate.

The petition for Levee District Xo. 10, signed by H. B. Brock and others was filed May 11, 1908. and J. A. Shriner was appointed engineer. He made his report July 18, 1908, favoring the establishment of the district and showing that it comprised a total of 2,346 acres, all in the north part of Oakland township, and that the probable cost including outlet pipes, etc., should be $3,890.25. This district was established on March 4, 1909, and the contract was let to W. P. Bum- gardner, of Wapello. The total cost of the improvement in this district was $5,300.

The next district is Levee District. No. 11, which includes 3,421 acres of land immediately across the Iowa river from Wapello. J. A. Shriner was appointed engineer. The petition for this district was signed by John G. Grim and others, and filed January 4, 1909. J. A. Shriner was appointed engineer and estimated the probable cost to be $35,467.25. The district was established on May 21. 1909, and the contract was let to R. H. McWilliams, of Mattoon, Illinois. The commissioners who were appointed to assess the costs and damages in this dis- trict reported that the items for which the assessments were made were as follows :

For work under contract $25,000.00

For culverts ' 2,000.00

For land damages 3,000.00

For preliminary, legal and engineering and contingencies 3,446.31

Total $33,446.31

The actual amount of tax levied in this district was $34,108.28 and it will require about $1,700 more to finish paying.

The next district established was Drainage District, No. 12, which takes in about 13,000 acres west and southwest of Wapello. The petition was filed May 26. 1909, signed by J. A. Hale and others and J. A. Shriner was appointed en- gineer. Mr. Shriner recommended the establishment of the district, stating two plans upon which the work might be done and estimated the probable cost on plan No. 1 at $73,855, and on plan No. 2, $64,716.84. The following estimated items of the cost were included in each of the two plans, namely:

174 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Land damages $6,000

Railroad crossings • 4,000

Preliminary and legal expenses, etc 6,000

This district was established by order of the board on January 7, 1910. The contract was let to Chapman Brothers, at that time residents of Muscatine. The total cost of the improvements made in this district was about $90,000.

Levee District No. 14 was petitioned for November 11, 1909, by H. O. Weaver and W. E. Shew, and J. A. Shriner was appointed engineer. This district included about a thousand acres on the east side of the Iowa river, immediately north of Hogback. Air. Shriner's estimate of the probable cost of the improvements was:

Levee 47,000 cubic yards at 20c $9,400

Outlet pipes • 500

Ditch 6,000 cubic yards at 20c 1.200

Engineering, legal and other expenses 1,1 10

Total $12,210

The next district established was No. 13, a joint district in Louisa and Musca- tine counties. The petition was filed by W. H. Hurley and others. March 11. 1910, and a commission was appointed by the boards of the two counties, con- sisting of J. W. Garner. Louisa county, and J. C. Park, Muscatine county, and these commissioners selected Engineer F. A. McDonald as the third member of the commission. This district was located on Muscatine Island, about one-third being in Muscatine county and about two-thirds being in Louisa county, and is said to contain about 30,000 acres. The commission estimated the total expense of the improvements proposed in this district at $201,106.45. Included in this estimate is $85,000 for a pumping plant; $8,500 for engineering; and $9,338 for contingencies.

On June 14, 191 1. the boards of supervisors appointed Jacob A. Harmon, engineer, to make a survey of the proposed district, with plans and an estimate of the cost. Mr. Harmon's report suggested a modification of the plans by elimin- ating the construction of a levee along the Mississippi river from Port Louisa to Toolesboro. recommending that that levee be constructed by a separate levee district to be organized for that purpose, and suggesting a different location for the pumping plant and certain modifications due to that change. Air. Harmon's estimate is as follows :

For the necessary ditches $ 49,830

Pumping plant, machinery and building 1 10,000

Sluice way, incidental engineering, court costs, etc 12,670

Total $172,500

Air. Harmon's report estimated the total area of land within the proposed drainage district to be 15,900 acres, and that the average cost would be $10.90 per acre.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 175

This district was established by the supervisors of Louisa and Muscatine counties on October 24, ign, and on the next day a contract was made by them with Jacob A. Harmon of the Harmon Engineering Company of Peoria, Illi- nois, as engineer, which contract provides in substance that Mr. Harmon should have $25.00 per day for his time on said work, and in addition thereto, five per cent of what he succeeded in making it cost the district ; and also $10.00 per day for assistant engineers, $6.00 per day for instrument men, $4.00 per day for recorders and $6.00 per day for draughtsmen and computers, and also pay for all other labor, traveling and living expenses while on the work away from the home office at Peoria. It is hardly necessary to say that the supervisors who made such munificent provision for the engineer were not expecting to have to pay any part of it out of their own pockets. This contract means that the engineer will not merely get big pay for all his time on the job, and the same for all his assistants, but in addition to this he will get $5,500 for preparing the plans of the pumping plant, and nearly $2,oco for making specifications and profiles of the ditches, etc. If, as is sometimes the case, the plans and specifications of the pumping plants are furnished in advance by the bidders, the tax-payers might be inclined to characterize this contract by a harsher word than we have used.

There was some work done by M. L. Jamison on Muscatine Island in 1883, in building a levee which had been petitioned for by land owners of Muscatine and Louisa Counties. The contract price for the work was something like $30,000. Quite a number of the taxpayers resisted the project; the first tax levied was set aside by the court, and it required a long series of litigation and an act of the Iowa Legislature to enable Mr. Jamison to get his pay.

This matter of drainage is one which has created considerable controversy in the county, due largely to the manner in which the law has been administered. The benefits which accrue from necessary drainage, are recognized by everybody, but it is undoubtedly true that some of the drainage projects put through in Louisa County have cost the tax-payers far more than they should. It so happens that of the dozen or more drainage and levee districts in the county which have been established by the Board of Supervisors, there is not a member of the Board who has any land in any of these districts. This probably accounts for the fact that the engineers have been given practically absolute power to determine the kind and character of the work to be done.

In two of the districts viz: No. 4 and No. 13, the contracts made with the en- gineer are so drawn as to make it to his pecuniary interest to see that the most ex- pensive kind of improvements shall be made. In addition to* this, his contract provides that he shall have a certain amount per day for his different assistants ranging from $10.00 to $3.00. The contract is open to the construction that he is to receive these amounts for his assistants whether they cost him that much or not. It has been openly charged in regard to District No. 4, that the bills filed by the engineer include pay for various assistants, of amounts from 50 to 100 per cent greater than the amount actually paid by the engineer. At one time at a joint session of the Des Moines and Louisa County Boards this matter was brought to their attention, while the engineer was being examined, but they refused to allow it to be inquired into. It may be that these charges were entirely unfounded but the taxpayers as well as the impartial observer will be likely to think that if this were so, it could have been shown in the same length of time that was required

176 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

for the supervisors to deliberate upon, and sustain a technical objection. The drainage law is lamentably lame in that it does not provide some way whereby the taxpayers protect themselves from extravagance, carelessness or incompe- tency of those who control drainage projects. The people of Eliot township have been taxed nearly $100,000, by the six men who compose the Boards of Super- visors of this and Des Moines county, while the voters of Eliot township have no opportunity to vote for or against but one of these six men. If this is the kind of government our forefathers fought for, they might well have saved some of their blood and treasure.

CHAPTER XII. LOUISA COUNTY SOLDIERS.

TERRITORIAL MILITIA ALPHABETICAL LIST OF LOUISA COUNTY SOLDIERS IN THE

WAR OF THE REBELLION SOLDIERS IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.

The first territorial governor of Iowa, Robert Lucas, was himself something of a military man, and at once interested himself in an effort to organize a territorial militia. He had difficulty in many of the counties in getting them to take any in- terest in the matter, but it is undersood that the military spirii showed itself quite early in this county. On January 19, 1839, Gov. Lucas made the following militia appointments in this county, all of them being of the 1st Regiment of the 1st Brigade of the 2nd Division :

Colonel. John Ronalds.

Lieutenant, Z. C. Inghram.

Major, Robert Childers.

There are no records to be found showing just what military organizations were perfected in this county at that time. Such as there were, however, came very near having something to do in connection with the controversy between the state of Missouri and Iowa territory over the location of the southern boundary of the territory. This incident is sometimes called the Border War, or the Puke War. The state of Missouri claimed that the northern boundary of that state ex- tended far enough North to include a great part of Van Buren County, and brought the matter to a crisis by sending an officer up there to collect taxes. This officer was arrested and put in jail in Van Buren County, whereupon the governor of Missouri issued a tierce proclamation and called for a thousand volunteers. Gov. Lucas responded with a much bigger proclamation and called for 1.200 troops. In an article on Louisa County history in the Annals of Iowa for 1870, William L. Toole, referring to this incident, says :

"Louisa County, like its adjoining counties, had for its early settlers a people patriotic and spirited, as was fully shown at the time of our border war; for, al- though then but few in number, they eagerly and freely attended to the call to repel the invaders." Mr. Toole then relates that public meetings were held and patriotic speeches delivered and resolutions made to stand ready for a move against the intruders from Missouri. The display of patriotism was not confined to the males, but the wives and daughters were also zealous in their patriotism. Maximillian Eastwood, justice of the peace, blacksmith and tavern keeper in Toolesborough, was a man of considerable local note and influence and his cabins were places of public resort. On the occasion of one of these "war meet-

177

178 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

ings," Mrs. Eastwood, who was a favorite among the people, "assisted by her female friends, prepared a free dinner for all assembled, and enough for all. The dinner was made noted through the huge (John or journey) cake she pre- pared for the occasion ; it was fourteen feet long and about one foot wide, baked on a board before a fire fixed along a large log, and perhaps the largest cake ever made in Iowa."

In addition to the public meetings referred to by Mr. Toole, there were other warlike occurrences in this county at the time, notably the march through the county of a company of the militia from Muscatine. It is said also that a com- pany from Johnson county came as far as the bluff south of Wapello, and then, learning that there would be no war, returned home. The controversy over the boundary was settled some years after by the Supreme Court of the United States in favor of the contention of Iowa.

Among the old files are found the records of two courts martial held in 1840. The following, which seems to have been held on Sept. 19, 1840, was doubtless held in Grandview township, although it does not so state. We quote it literally :

"I do heare by certyfy that the folowing is a corect transaction acording to law. Martin Gray Capt.

"A court marcial being Detailed of the undersined acording to law of the 5 "comp. 1 Reg. 1 Birgade 2 Division, S. M. on the 19th of September 1840 was "organised, an as folows asesed the fines of Delinquents as follows:

"Jacob Holbrook fined $2.00.

"Wm. Thompson, Jim. fined $3.00.

"Lot Thornton, fined $2.00.

"Thomas MCoy, fined $3.00.

"Thomas Suleven. fined $2.00.

"Wm. Shoemaker, fined $3.00.

"Abraham Mclearey, fined $3.00.

"Abraham Sellers, fined $2.00.

"S. R. Crow . prs., Jesse Benefiel, Wm. P. Noreis, John Tayler, AtExer. Ross."

It seems from the foregoing that Martin Gray was captain of the militia at Grandview. The record of the one held at Florence is as follows :

"Court Martial Held at Florence on the 17th Day of September A. D., 1840, the following are the names of persons Returned by the Court and each one Fined two dollars: fame- Morris. James Hate. Joseph < >gle, Obadiah Garison, Mark Davidson. James R. Willson, John Devenport. James Willson, Samuel Dunham, Nathan Linton. Thomas Stanly, Henry McFall, Jefferson Frizzle, Richard Curry.

Attest Samuel Smith. President of the Court."

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 179

These fines were probably for failure to attend drills.

The executive journal of Gov. Robert Lucas shows that on January 13, 1841, he appointed John Rinearson captain of the Wapello Cavalry, in place of M. Wilson, who had resigned. Mrs. Sarah Hurley says she remembers the Wapello Cavalry quite well, and that it was in the habit of drilling out west of town ; and that her uncle, David Clark, who at that time lived in Muscatine and had been commander of a militia company back in Indiana, came down here occasionally to drill the boys.

It was the duty of the township assessors at one time to make a return of all of the able-bodied males between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, and these returns are among the files for Wapello, Florence, Jefferson, Grandview and Columbus City townships, but none from Fredonia township. From the report made by John Gilliland, Clerk of the County Board of Commissioners, to the ad- jutant general, on June 24, 1844, it appears that the persons subject to military duty in the county were as follows : Wapello township, 143 ; Florence township, 191 ; Jefferson township, 86; Grandview township, 117; Columbus City township, 143 ; Fredonia township, estimated, 55. Total, 635.

The return from Grandview township made by Joseph Burr, assessor, shows that there were the following officers residing in that township at that time : Robert Childers, Colonel ; Alex. Ross, Major ; Nicholas T. Brown, Lieutenant ; Morton Brown, 2nd Lieutenant.

The returns from other townships do not make mention of any officers. One military item of interest is found in the report of Treasurer George F. Thomas, made January 1, 1847, for the year 1846, in which he mentions the payment to Francis Springer, "Captain of Louisa Guards," of the following amounts :

One stand of collars $15.00

One French Horn 8.00

One Bugle 2.00

One Trumpet, 4 Crook 6.00

The history of the Union Guards, will be found in the chapter on Columbus City.

LOUISA COUNTY IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.

According to the report of Adjutant General Baker, made in 1866, the quota of troops to be furnished by Louisa county for the suppression of the rebellion under the calls made by President Lincoln in 1861 and 1862 was five hundred, and the number of troops furnished by the county under these calls is given by the same report as eight hundred and forty-two. This gives the county a surplus over the call of three hundred and forty-two. We find no other official statement as to the quota to be furnished by Louisa county under any of the calls made by the president subsequent to this. Since then the number of troops furnished by this county in the war of the rebellion has been placed at eight hundred and forty- two. We have long supposed that that number was entirely too low, and have made a very careful investigation in the effort to give not only the full number of soldiers' furnished by this county, but the names of the soldiers with their respective commands.

180 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

We have prepared an alphabetical list, which is given at the close of this chap- ter, showing the names and commands of all the Louisa county soldiers so far as we have been able to ascertain them. This list was first made by copying from the reports of the adjutant general for the various years covering the rebellion, the names of those soldiers who were credited to Louisa county. The list was then submitted to quite a number of the Louisa county soldiers and many addi- tional names were suggested. Colonel J. W. Garner was kind enough to go over the list and compare it with the adjutant general's reports and add such names as he could think of not found there. Colonel Garner himself added in the neigh- borhood of one hundred names, which were not on the original list. The list of those whose commands are given numbers upward of twelve hundred. To this list there are fourteen names added, all of whom are believed to have been resi- dents of this county when they enlisted, but whose commands we have not been able to learn.

Louisa county furnished nearly the whole of the following companies: C of the Fifth Infantry; K of the Eighth Infantry: F and G of the Nineteenth Infantry; F of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, and F of the Thirty-fifth Infantry. It also furnished quite a number in Companies C of the Eleventh ; C of the Eighth : E of the Fourteenth ; C of the Fourteenth ; I of the Sixth ; E of the Six- teenth ; 1 ). G and H of the Seventeenth, and one or more in the following com- panies: A, C, D and E of the First Infantry: Companies A. G and H of the Second Infantry ; G of the Fifth ; A and I of the Seventh ; 1 1 and I of the Eighth ; A of the Ninth ; F. G and Ft of the Eleventh ; K of the Thirteenth ; K of the Fourteenth; H of the Fifteenth: C of the Sixteenth; C of the Eighteenth: C of the Nineteenth; D, F and T of the Twenty-fifth; C of the Thirtieth: A and D of the Thirty-fifth; II and G of the Thirty-seventh; C of the Forty-first, and B, F and H of the Forty-fifth; and Companies A. P., C, D and E of the First Cavalry : A. H, T and K of the Second Cavalry ; K and L of the Fourth Cavalry ; M of the Seventh Cavalry: D, E. F. II, K. L and M of the Eighth Cavalry and A of the Ninth Cavalry. There were also some Louisa county soldiers in the following commands : Engineer Regiment of the West ; the First Battery Iowa Light Artillery; the Fourth Veteran Infantry; Fifteenth United States Regulars: the Sixteenth Illinois and the Fifty-fifth Illinois.

A fair idea of the patriotism of Louisa county and her devotion {,, the Union can be gained from the fact that by the census of i860 the county had a popula- tion of but 10,370 and that she furnished during the war 1,217 soldiers. This means that practically fifty per cent of the men of Louisa county enlisted in the army.

It is not our purpose to write a history of the war of the rebellion, nor to give a detailed account of the various battles and campaigns in which Louisa county soldiers were engaged. It is probable that some of them were engaged in the following battles, and doubtless in many others : Bull Run, Wilson's Creek, Bel- mont, Fort Donelson. Shiloh. Chickahominy, Manassas, Antietam, luka, Corinth, Prairie Grove, Fredericksburg, Chickasaw Bluffs, Arkansas Post, Chancellors- ville, Champion Hill, Yicksburg, Gettysburg, Jackson, Mississippi, Sterling's Plantation, Rappahannock, Missionary Ridge, Mine Run, Virginia, Meridian Expedition, Sabine Cross Roads, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Totopotamy, Gun- town. Mississippi, Atlanta Campaign, Cold Harbor, Sherman's March to the Sea, Petersburg, Kenesaw Mountain, Tupelo, Mississippi, Nashville and Bentonville.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 181

It is hardly necessary to say, in view of the foregoing record, that no citizen of Louisa county was ever drafted. In addition to paying bounties for soldiers who enlisted, the supervisors of the county did a great deal to assist the families of volunteers. Their records show that they received a circular from Governor Kirkwood on this subject and later a letter from Judge Francis Springer, and that thereupon the)' appropriated a thousand dollars to be expended in the vari- ous townships. The expenditure of this money in each township was under the supervision of a person appointed by the board called a commissary. The super- visors expended several thousand dollars in this way during the war. It is also known that private citizens spent money freely in aid of the families of soldiers where such aid was needed. The following is the alphabetical list referred to and it is believed that nearly every soldier who enlisted from Louisa county is reported in the list. Many of them enlisted either in Burlington, or Muscatine, or Keokuk, and for this reason some are credited to those localities, when in fact they belonged in Louisa county. . The list contains no name which is not vouched for by some of our Louisa county veterans, or contained in the official lists.

By the use of this list, which gives the company and regiment of each soldier, it will be an easy matter, by aid of the recently published "Roster" of Iowa Soldiers, to get the military history of any Louisa county soldier. The "Roster" is published by the state, and has been quite generally circulated ; it also contains a history of the organization and service of all the Iowa regiments. The Iowa soldiers bore an honorable and conspicuous part in the suppression of the rebel- lion, and those from Louisa county, while claiming no superior merit over their comrades in arms from other counties in the state, cari truthfully claim to have done their full share. This is honor enough.

SOLDIERS 1861-65. LOUISA COUNTY.

Abbott, Charles H., Thirtieth, colonel.

Acheson, Anderson D., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Acheson, Martin, Company A, Ninth Cavalry, fifth corporal.

Acheson, Ramsey, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Acheson, Samuel R., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Albaugh, Alexander, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Albaugh, John, Company C, Fifth Infantry, first lieutenant.

Allen, Charles R., Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, wagoner.

Allen, Joseph, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, second sergeant.

Allen, Joseph B., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Allen, Joseph P., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Allen, Newton, Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Allen, William, Company G. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Allen, William G., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, captain.

Allison, Eugene, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, sergeant.

Alloway, William. Company H, Fifteenth Infantry, private.

Anderson, Clark, Company K, Second Cavalry, private.

Archibald, Robert E., Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, second private.

Archibald, William W., Company — , Eighth Infantry, private.

Arrowhood, Thos. J., Company K, Fourth Cavalry.

182 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Ashbaugh, Andrew J., Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Ashby, Alexander, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Ashby, Bladen, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Asher, George, Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Ashford, Aaron M., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Ashford, Elijah M., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Ashford, Jacob, Company — , Eleventh Infantry, private.

Ashford, Percifer C, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Ashford, William, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, seventh corporal.

Asp, John, Company I, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), artificer.

Atcheson, Samuel W., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Ayers, Charles F., Company K, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Ayers, William M., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Bailey, Caldwell, Company C, Eighth Infantry, private.

Bailey. Charles C, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Bailey, Charles O., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Bailey, George E., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Bailey, Hosford, Company C, Eighth Infantry, private.

Bailey, Jonathan E., Company C, Eighth Infantry, private.

Bailey, Thomas W., Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), captain.

Bailey, Willard F., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Bailey, Willard F., Company I, Fourth Veteran Infantry, private.

Bailey, William A., Company C, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Baldrige, Alfred E., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, second corporal.

Baldrige, John W., Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Baldry, Samuel, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Ballaine, Edward, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Barcus, Henry, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Barkoff, Wm., Company D, Seventeenth Infantry, private.

Barr, Robert, Company I, Sixth Infantry, private.

Barringer, Abraham C, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Barringer. Samuel, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Barringer, William. Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, first corporal.

Barshaw, John, Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), private.

Bates, John D., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Bayless, Peter M., Company C, Fifth Infantry, eighth corporal.

Beamer, William S., Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Beane, Horatio, Company E, Fourteenth Infantry, private.

Beatty, J. N., Company E, First Infantry, private.

Beatty, John N., Company K, Eighth Infantry, second lieutenant.

Beck, George, Company K. Eighth Infantry, private.

Beck, V. B., Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Beck, William, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Bede, Jackson, Company E, Eighth Iowa Cavalry, private.

Bede, Richard, Company K, Eighth Iowa Infantry, private.

Bedwell, John H.. Company F, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Bell, George M., Company F. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Bell, John, Ninth Infantry, surgeon.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY ik:

Bell, John C, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Bell, John S., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Bell, Thomas, Jr., Company K, Second Cavalry, saddler.

Bell, Thomas S.. Nineteenth Infantry, assistant sergeant.

Bennett, Joseph, Company I, Sixth Infantry, private.

Bennett, Jas. W., Company D, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Benson, George H., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Benson, Henry H., Company K, Eighth Infantry, captain.

Berkoff, William, Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), artificer.

Bevins, Charles, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Bevins. Cyrus, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Bevins, James M., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Bigger, William F., Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, third sergeant.

Bird, John, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, captain.

Bishop, Zion, Company K, Second Cavalry, private.

Bissinger, Mathias, Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), artificer.

Blair, Martin, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Blair, William, Company M, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Blake, Henry C, Company C, First Cavalry, private.

Blake, John B., Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Blake, Leander, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Blake, Levi M., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Blake, Nehemiah, Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, private.

Blake. Ward. Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Boke. Samuel F., Company D, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Bolean, William L., Company G, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Bond, Heber, Company A, Seventh Infantry, private.

Botha, Detrich, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Bowman, Elliott M., Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private.

Bowman, J. F., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Boyd, Henry, Company B, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Branden, William P.. Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Bras, Alexander, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Bras, Charles W., Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, fourth sergeant.

Bras, Edgar A., Company K, Eighth Infantry, fourth corporal.

Bras, Frank, Engineer Regiment of West.

Bras, Garry A., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Breston, George W., Company E, First Infantry, private.

Bretz, Benjamin F., Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Bretz, John, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Brewer, James H., Company E, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Brewer, Nathan J., Company K, Thirteenth Infantry, sixth corporal.

Briggs, George N., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Brinley, David, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Briston, George W., Company E, First Infantry, private.

Britt, Alexander, Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Britt, Sylvester, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Brown, Basil, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

184 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Brown, Dennis, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Brown, Isaac P., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Brown. James. Company I, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Brown, Joshua, Company K, Second Cavalry, private.

Brown, Mills C, Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Brown, Robert H., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Brown, Thomas, First Battery Iowa Light Artillery, private.

Brown, Thomas K., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Brown, William B., Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Brownson, Edgar, Company B, First Cavalry, private.

Brownson, Milan, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Brubaker, Abraham II., Company F, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Brubaker, John A.. Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Brumage. Thomas, Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Bryan, Timothy, Company H, Second Cavalry, private.

Bryant. Joseph, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, third corporal.

Buffington, Joseph H., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Buffington, Joseph R., Company F. Twenty-fifth Infantry, second corporal.

Buffington. Richard \\\, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Buffington, S. A., Company A. Ninth Cavalry, private.

Bunting, Parish L., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Burger. Alfred S., Company K, Second cavalry, private.

Burris, Benjamin, Company C, First Infantry, private.

Burris, Charles, Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Burris, Jacob B., Company H, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Burris, L., Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Burrows, William H., Company G, Nineteenth Cavalry, private.

Buster, S., Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Buster, Simon, Company G, Nineteenth Cavalry, private.

Butcher, Joseph, Company A, Second Cavalry, private.

Butler, Finley, Company G, Seventeenth Infantry, private.

Butler, Henry C. Company A, Seventh Infantry, private.

Butler, John H., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Butler, Sylvester, First Cavalry, third musician.

Butler, Webster, Company A, Seventh Infantry, private.

Butler, William, Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, corporal.

Butman, Alpha. Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Butman, Alphonso, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Butman, Evander, Company L, Second Cavalry, private.

Butman, Manson B., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Caldwell. Stephen H., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, first lieutenant.

Calhoun. Junius. Company C, Fifth Infantry, fourth sergeant.

Campbell. Andrew )., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Campbell, William, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Capper, William. Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Carey, Charles. Company — , Eleventh Infantry, private.

Carney. Patrick, Company C. Fifth Infantry, private.

Carpenter, Charles E.! Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

COL. WESLEY W. CAKMOi:

I

V

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 185

Carpenter, John, Company G, Seventeenth Infantry, private.

Carringer, George C, Company C, Eighth Infantry, private.

Carringer, William H., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Carson, Joseph S., Company H, Second Infantry, private.

Carter, John F., Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Carey, George H., Company C, First Cavalry, private.

Cellan, James, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Chapman, Charles W., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Chapman, Madison G., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Chapman, Samuel, Company C, First Cavalry, private.

Chapman, Thomas D., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, second sergeant.

Chapman, William, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Chase, Levi, First Cavalry, major.

Chasteen, J., Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Chenoweth, Joel, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Chenoweth, Joel, Company A, Ninth Cavalry, fifth sergeant.

Chenoweth, William, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, first corporal.

Cissne, Pomroy, Company A, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Clark, Daniel, Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), private.

Clark, James W., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Clark, John W., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Clark, Morris W., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, captain.

Clark, Samuel, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Clark, Samuel. Company H, Eighth Cavalry, seventh corporal.

Clark, William, Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), private.

Clement, Joseph W., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Cocklin, Reuben F., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, eighth corporal.

Coe, David M., Company A, Ninth Cavalry, second lieutenant.

Coe, Edward E., Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Coe, George F., Company D, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Cole, Henry H., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Cole, Thomas, Company F, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Coleman, David F., Company K. Eighth Infantry, private.

Coleman, John G., Company G, Thirty-seventh Infantry, private.

Colip. William R.. Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Colton, Frank, Company E, Fifteenth United States Infantry.

Colville, Beman, Company B, First Cavalry, private.

Compton, O. P., Company C, Sixteenth Cavalry, fourth corporal.

Compton, Wesley B., Company H. Second Infantry, private.

Conway. Isaac J., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Cook, Archibald, Company C, Fifth Infantry, second corporal.

Cooken, Charles F., Company F, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Cooper, Valentine, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Corbin, James C, Company — , Second Cavalry, private.

Cornelius, F. James, Company K. Eighth Infantry, private.

Cornelius, Finley J., Company K, Eighth Infantry, fifth corporal.

Cornelius, John, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Cosgriff, Richard L., Company L, Fourth Cavalry, private.

186 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Coulter, John, Company K, Second Cavalry, second lieutenant.

Covet, Albert L., Company I, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Cowgill, James. Company G. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Cowles, Thomas, Company L, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Coyle. Patrick, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Craddock, Albert, Company A. Second Cavalry, private.

Craddock, John W., Company E, Eighteenth Infantry, private.

Craig, Thomas, Company I, Eighteenth Infantry, private.

Crain, David, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Crammond, William J.. Company — , Eleventh Infantry, private.

Crane. James \Y.. Company G, Seventeenth Infantry, private.

Crawford, Thomas H., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Creighton, H. L., Company E, First Infantry, private.

Creighton, Hugh L., Company C, Thirtieth Infantry, second lieutenant.

Creighton, Joseph H.. Company C, Thirtieth Infantry, musician.

Creighton. Samuel. Company C. Forty-first Infantry, private.

Creighton, Samuel N., Company E, First Infantry, private.

Creswell, John M., Company D, First Cavalry, private.

Grill, Charles W.. Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Crilly, Theodore, Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, second corporal.

Crim, Morris, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Crow, John H., Company C, First Infantry, private.

Crocker, Wm. H., Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Cummins, David, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Cunningham, G. W., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Cunningham, Lewis, Company A, Seventh Infantry, private.

Cunningham, William, Company G. Nineteenth Infantry, musician.

Cunningham, William, Company K, Eighth Infantry, eighth corporal.

Cutkomp, William, Company D, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Dakes, Richard H., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, second lieutenant.

Daniels, Emmer, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Darnell, Newton, Company D, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Darnutzer, Christian, Company E, Fourteenth Infantry, private.

Darrow, Wallace, Company F, Eleventh Infantry, musician.

Darrow, William H., Fifth Infantry, assistant surgeon.

Davidson, Samuel, Company K. Eighth Infantry, private.

Davis, Edward, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Davis, Robert, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Davis, William, Company A, Seventh Infantry, private.

Davison, George F., Company A, First Cavalry, private.

Davison. Hiram B., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Davison, Nathaniel, Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Dean, Lewis, Company L, Fourth Cavalry, private.

De Camp, Marcellus. Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, first corporal.

Dalzell, Samuel P.. Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Denham. Obed E., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, fifth corporal.

Dennis, Asher, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Dennis, Marvin, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 187

Dennis, Oliver, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. Dennis, William C, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Deppe, Henry, Company I, Sixth Infantry, private. Denham, Hugh L., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, third sergeant. Detwiler, Michael, Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), fifth sergeant.

Devine, Owen, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Dickerson, Aden T., Company E, Eighteenth Infantry, private.

Dickies, Morris, Company D, Seventeenth Infantry, private.

Dildine, W. A., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Diller, Henry, Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Diller, Henry, Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Dilley, George W., Company B, First Cavalry, private.

Dilley, Thomas B., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Dobbs, Elisha, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, musician.

Dodd, Hiempsal S., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Dodd, James B., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Dodder, Charles. Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Dodder, Isaiah, Company A, Seventh Infantry, private.

Dodder, Joseph, Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Donahoo, James, Fifty-fifth Illinois, private.

Donaldson, Ogilva, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, fifth corporal.

Donnahoo, W. P., Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Dotson, George B., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Dotson, Joseph M., Company K, Second Cavalry, private.

Dotson, Mark, Company K, Second Cavalry, wagoner.

Dougherty, James, Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Dowel, W. H. W., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private..

Downs, Davenport, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Dryden, William H., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Dufley, Peter, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Duggan, Thomas C, Company A, Seventh Infantry, private.

Duncan, Andrew L., Company C, Seventh Infantry, private.

Duncan, Harvey, Company C, Seventh Infantry, private.

Duncan, James C, Company C, Seventh Infantry, private.

Duncan, James H., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Duncan, James M., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Duncan, John C, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Duncan, Samuel H., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Duncan, Samuel J., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Duncan, Samuel K., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Dunn, Hiram, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, fourth sergeant.

Dunn, John H., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Easton, George, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Easton, Orlando W., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, fourth sergeant.

Edgington. Allen T., Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Edgington, Francis M., Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Edgington, Ira, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

188 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Edmonds, ,11. John W., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. Edmondson, William A., Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private. Edmondson. William W., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. Edwards, Jacob A., Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private. Edwards, John W., Company L\ Thirty-seventh Infantry, private. Edwards, Robert, Company F, Forty-fifth Infantry, private. Edwards, Rowland. Company F. Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Edwards. William M., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private. Edwards. Zenos L., Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private. Eicher, Samuel, Company G, Seventeenth Infantry, private. Ellis, Albert, Company C, Fifth Infantry, captain. Ellis. Harvey S., Company EC, Eighth Infantry, private. Ellis. John J.. Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, private. Endsley, William M., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. English, James M., Eighth Cavalry, sergeant. Epperly. James. Company F. Thirty-fifth Infantry, private. Epperly, Thomas. Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private. Epperly. William. Company F. Thirty-fifth Infantry, private. Epperly. Xachariah D., Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private. Erwin, George, Company G. Nineteenth Infantry, private. Erwin. Jacob, Company G. Nineteenth Infantry, private. Erwin. Julio N.. Company A. Seventh Infantry, private. Erwin, Samuel T., Company H. Forty-fifth Infantry, private. Estep, Noah. Company C, First Cavalry, private. Euke. Argalya, Company — . First Cavalry, private. Eversull, Ezekiel D.. Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Ewing, William. Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Fagmirc, William, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private. Fath. Jacob. Company (,. Nineteenth Infantry, private. Faux, Morgan. Company I-:. Sixteenth Infantry, private. Fickle. James. Company K, Second Cavalry, first lieutenant. Fish, Evan, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Fisher. Levi, Company F. Nineteenth Infantry, private. Flack. James M., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. Flack. Robert F. M., Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private. Fleming, George W., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Fleming. Orson. Company B, Forty-fifth Infantry, private. Fletcher. ( ieorge C. Company A. Ninth Cavalry, farrier. Flynn. Peter P., Company — , Second Cavalry, private. Foor, Lewis R.. Company M, Eighth Cavalry, private. Forbes, Thomas J., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Forbes. William. Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, private. Fortner. Thomas Company M, Eighth Cavalry, private. Fosbender, William, Company K, Second Cavalry, corporal. Foster. Fenner, Company I, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), fourth cor- poral.

Foster, Henry A.. Company K. Fourth Cavalry, private. Fowler, B. F., Company K. Eighth Infantrv. private.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY la',)

Fowler, E. R., Company A, Seventh Infantry, second lieutenant.

Fowler, Henry S., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, musician.

Fowler, John B., Company G. Second Infantry, first lieutenant.

Fowler, Jonas, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Fowler. William. Jr., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Frazee. Joseph, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Frazier, Elliott, First Battery Iowa Light Artillery, fourth corporal.

Frazier, John C, First Battery Iowa Light Artillery, private.

Frazier, William, First Battery Iowa Light Artillery, private.

Freeland, Isaac C, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Freeland, William S., Company C, Eighth Infantry, private.

Freeman, Jacob D., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Friend, William EL, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, first sergeant.

Frisbie, Ichabod, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Fritts, Samuel, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Fry, Josiah, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Fryer, Edward, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Fryer, John J., Company G. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Fulton, Abram, Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, private.

Fulton, Henry, Sixth Infantry, musician.

Fulton, Hugh, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, wagoner.

Funk, Henry L., Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private.

Gable, David, Company F. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Gable, Ohio, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Gambell. John. Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Gambell. Leslie, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Gamble, Martin. Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Gamble, Milton, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, fifth corporal.

Gamble, William. Company C, Fifth Infantry, first corporal.

Garner J. Witfield, Twenty-fifth Infantry, regimental quartermaster.

Gasky, William, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Gast, Herman, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Gay, John, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, musician.

Gebhart, John, Company G, First Cavalry, private.

Geer, Silas, Company — , Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Gentzler. Martin, Company C, Eighth Infantry, private.

Gephart, Anthony, Company A, Eighth Infantry, private.

Getts, John P., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Getts, Spencer I!., Company C, Fifth Infantry, second lieutenant.

Gibbons. William B., Company F. Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Gibbs, Henry F.. Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Gibbs, Valentine L., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Gillett, Ferdinand, Company K, Fourteenth Infantry, private.

Gillie, James, Company D, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Gilmore. William, Company F, Sixteenth Illinois Infantry, private.

Gillmore, George, Company G. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Gipple, Isaiah, Company K. Eighth Illinois Infantry, private.

Glasgow, Donald C, Company C, Eleventh Illinois Infantry, private.

190 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Goodwin, Jacob H., Company K. Second Cavalry, sergeant.

Gordey, William P., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Gorsach, Thomas, Company I, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Goskey, William, Company M, Eighth Cavalry, second corporal.

Graham, B. I., Company D, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Graham, Daniel, Company M, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Graham, John, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Graham, Joseph R., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Graham, Vano, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Gravert, Albert, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Graves, Amos, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Graves, Benoni, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Graves, Daniel C, Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), artificer.

Graves, Elias, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Gray, Absalom, Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, private.

Gray, Samuel M., Company I, Eighth Infantry, private.

Green. John A., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Gregory, James F., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Gregory, Wallace, Company G, Seventeenth Infantry, private.

Gregory, William. Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, third sergeant.

Griffith, Samuel J., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Griswold, Edward O., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Griswold, Henry E., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Grodewohl. Lewis, Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), private.

Grubb, John L., Company C, Fifth Infantry, captain.

( runn, John M., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

< iuthrie, James H., Eighth Cavalry, quartermaster sergeant.

Guthrie, John L., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Guy, Robert, Company C, Eighth Infantry, private.

Haas, Adam, Company K. Eighth Infantry, private.

Haas, Jacob, Company C, Forty-first Infantry, private.

Hahn, George, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Hall, Eugene W., Company E, First Cavalry, private.

Hall, H. C, Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Hall, I. N., Company E, First Cavalry, private.

Hall, James, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Hall, M. O., Sixth Indiana Cavalry, captain.

Hall, S. E., Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Hall, Stephen R., Company A, Second Cavalry, private.

Hall, Thomas. Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Hall, Thomas L., Company A, Seventh Infantry, private.

Hall, W. Clark, First Cavalry, first musician.

Hall, Walter F.. Company C, Fifth Infantry, musician.

Hall, William A., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, third sergeant.

Hall, William F., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Hall, Winfield S., Company A, Second Cavalry, private.

Hamill, Joseph N., Company H, Second Infantry, private.

Hamill, Robert A., Company H, Second Infantry, private.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 191

Hamilton, Alexander T., Company C, First Cavalry, private.

Hamilton, James W., Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Hann, Oscar, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Hardesty, Joseph P., Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Hardesty, William M., Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Harris, John M., Company E, Fourteenth Infantry, private.

Harris, Joshua C, Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Hartman, William P., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Hashar, Jacob, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Hatton, Thomas B., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, sixth corporal.

Haun, William H., Company K, Eighth Infantry, second lieutenant.

Havenhill, Alexander H., Company. G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Hawkins, Henry C, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Hawkins, John A., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Hayden, Aurelius. Company I, Second Cavalry, private.

Hayes, John E., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Hayes, Martin, Company M, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Hayes, Morris, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Hayes, William T., Company K, Eighth Infantry, first lieutenant.

Hegger, John H, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Heindel, Jacob, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Heininger, John, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Heins, John F., Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), artificer.

Helmick, Jeremiah, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Helmick, William, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Hemingway, Manley, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Hemingway, T., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Henderson, Andrew, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Hendricks, Ir.a, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Hendrix, William, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Herron, David P., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Herron, James H., Company I, Sixth Infantry, private.

Herron, John R., Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Herron, Samuel, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Herron, William M., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Hershay, Christian, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Hewett, Robert B., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Hiatt, Ellis, Company B, First Cavalry, private.

Hicklin, James H., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, fourth sergeant.

Hidlebaugh, Alexander, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Hidlebaugh, David, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Higbee, Joseph, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Higby, Merrill P., Company — , Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Higgs, George W.. Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Hight, John A., Company H, Second Infantry, private.

Hight, J. G, Company C, Eighth Infantry, private.

Hiler, Richard S., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Hill, Amos C, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

192 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

J lines, John, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Ilinkle. William, Company (1. Nineteenth Infantry, private. 1 lodge. Ambrose, Fourth Cavalry, adjutant. Hoffman. John. Company A, Ninth Cavalry, adjutant. Hoffman. William, Company ( i. Nineteenth Cavalry, adjutant. Holland, Ellison. Company ( i. Nineteenth Infantry, fifth sergeant. Holland, Thomas. Company E, Fourteenth Infantry, private. Holland. William, Company A, Ninth Cavalry, second corporal. Hood, James S., Company F, Eleventh Infantry, private. Hoover, Charles, Company A, First Infantry, private. Hopper, Frederick, Company K. Eighth Infantry, private. Houtz, George, Company I, Sixth Infantry, private. Howe, Samuel IT. Company E, First Cavalry, private. Howey, Harris. Twentieth Infantry, surgeon.

Huff, Barney W., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, first sergeant. Huff. Charles W.. Company < 1, Nineteenth Infantry, captain. Huffman. Jacob, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Hughes, Edward, Company F. Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Hulick, Joseph. Company I, Engineer Regiment of West, private. Ilulick. Samuel, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private. Hull, Thomas, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private. Hull, Thomas L., Company A. Seventh Infantry, private. Humiston, James, Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), first corporal.

Humiston, John, Company K. Engineer Regiment of West, artificer.

Humphrey. George W.. Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Humphrey, James M., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

ITunsecker, Abram C, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Hunsecker, Jacob C, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Hunt, Henry, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Hunt, Huron, Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, third corporal.

Hunt. William. Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Hunter, Chris C, Company I, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), artificer.

Hunter, John, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Hupp, Frederick. Company K. Eighth Infantry, private.

Hurley. David C. Company II. Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Hurley, Emery H., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Hurley. John, Forty-fifth Infantry, assistant surgeon.

Hutchison, David M., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Hutchison, John, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Isett, John H., Eighth Cavalry, major.

Isett. Fulton, Company C, Fifth Infantry, second sergeant.

Jackson, Horatio P., Company I. Sixth Infantry, private.

Jackson, Joseph J.. Eleventh Infantry, private.

James. Daniel. Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

fames, John F., Company C. Eighth Infantry, private.

James, Levi, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Jamison. Merit, Company I. Sixth Infantry, private.

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TO ALL TO WHOM THE^E PRESENTS SHALL COME-GREETING:

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COMMISSION ISSUED TO JOHN REYNOLDS AS LIEUTENANT IN THE ILLINOIS MILITIA

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HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 193

Jarvis, Jesse B., Company E, Eighteenth Infantry, first corporal. Jefferson, Thomas, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private. Jeffries, Jeremiah, Company C, Eighth Infantry, private. Jennings, Elijah, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. Jennings, Mifflin, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. Jennings, William II., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. Jewett, Moses. Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), private. John, Philip, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Johnson, George H., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Johnson, James B., First Battery Iowa Light Artillery, private. Johnson, Peter, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private. Johnson, Philip M., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Johnson, Samuel W., Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, private. Johnson, William D., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Johnston, Andrew D., Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private. Johnston, John C, Company B, Forty-fifth Infantry, private. Johnston, Thomas J.. Company C, Eleventh Infantry, eighth corporal. Jondisch, Augustus, Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private. Jones, Hugh O., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. Jones, James B., Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), third sergeant.

Jones, John F., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Jones, Wells, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Jones, William J., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Jones William O., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Jones, William P., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Joslvn, Orlando V., Company E, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Joy, Edwin J., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Joy, Joseph E., Company C, Fifth Infantry, sergeant.

Kassabaum, Abraham, Company B, Forty-fifth Infantry, sergeant.

Kassabaum, James, Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Keach, William. Company G, Seventeenth Infantry, first lieutenant.

Keaver, William O. S., Company C, First Cavalry, private.

Keever, John P., Company I, Sixth Infantry, private.

Keller, Henry D., First Cavalry, musician.

Kellogg, James F., Company C, Fifth Cavalry, musician.

Kelly, Milo A., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, musician.

Kennedy, Jeremiah, Company C. Fifth Cavalry, private.

Kent, Jeptha L., Company C, First Cavalry, private.

Kern, Gottlieb, Company G, Nineteenth Cavalry, private.

Kerr, Alexander, Company K. Eighth Cavalry, private.

Key, David, Company I, Sixth Infantry, private.

Key, John H.. Company E, Sixth Infantry, first lieutenant.

Key, Joseph S., Company K, Second Cavalry, private.

Key, Solomon P., Company F, Nineteenth Cavalry, first lieutenant..

King, James L.. First Cavalry, battalion sergeant-major.

King, Richard E., Company K, Fourth Cavalry, private.

Kingen, John P., Company E, Eighteenth Infantry, private.

194 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Kinsey, Lemuel M., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Kinsey, Plummer P., Company I, Sixth Infantry, private.

Kingsland, Harry E., Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Kincaid, James W., Company H, Eighth Cavalry, fourth sergeant.

Kincaid, Legrand B., Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Kircher, Frederick, Company ('., Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Kirk, John. Company D, First Cavalry, private.

Kirk, Sherman, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Klingaman, Washington. Company E, First Cavalry, private.

Knap, Clinton, Company D, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Knight. Alonzo, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Knight. Charles E., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Knipes, Thomas, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Knouss, Andrew J„ Company K, Thirteenth Infantry, private.

Knouss, David, Company K, Thirteenth Infantry, private.

Knouss. Isaiah, Company C, Eighth Infantry, private.

Knouss, Samuel, Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, private.

Knouss, Samuel J., Company K, Thirteenth Infantry, private.

Knowls, David A., Company C, Thirteenth Infantry, private.

Korn, August, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Kremer, Wesley P., Company I, Sixth Infantry, private.

Kuder, George M., Company A, Seventh Infantry, private.

Kuder, Jackson A., Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Kyi, Zachariah, Company G. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Lacey, C. P., Fifty-fifth Illinois.

Lacey, Edwin B., Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

La Cornu, John, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Landes, Peter, Company A, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Lane, Alexander M., Company A, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Lane, Jackson A., Company K, Thirteenth Infantry, private.

Lane, Joseph B., Company A, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Lathrop, George P.. Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Lathrop, Gilead P., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Latta, Edward T., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Lauback Joseph S., Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Lautz, George F., Company C, Eighth Infantry, private.

Law, Charles H., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Lawrence, Albert, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Leffler, Abraham, Company K, Second Cavalry, private.

Lerou, George H., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Lerow, William R., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Lesnet, Martin S„ Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Lester. Christopher. Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Letts, David G., Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Lewis. Asa. Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Limbocker. Alfred S., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, second sergeant.

Limbocker, George, Company C, Eighth Infantry, private.

Limbocker. George W., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, first lieutenant.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 195

Limbocker, Jerry M., Company G, Fifth Infantry, captain. Limbocker, Thomas, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private. Lincoln, Abraham H., Company C, Eighth Infantry, private. Linderman, August, Company — , Nineteenth Infantry, private. Linderman, John H., Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), artificer.

Lindsey, John F., Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, private. Linn, Findley M., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, seventh corporal. Linn, Oliver H. P., Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, fourth sergeant. Linton, H. B., Company I, Sixth Infantry, sergeant. Linton, Ira, Company K, Sixth Infantry, lieutenant. Little, Sylvester, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Littleton, George,

Littleton, John W., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Littleton, Kendall, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Littleton, Noah, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Littleton, William M., Company K, Eighth Infantry, fifth corporal. Littleton, Thomas S., Company C, Fifth Infantry, fifth corporal. Livingston, G. B. S., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, fifth corporal. Lockwood, Edwin J., Company G, Eleventh Infantry, first lieutenant. Lockwood, John C, Thirtieth Infantry, regimental quartermaster. Lovem, Edward, Company — , Seventh Infantry, private. Luckey, Albert, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Luckey, James R., Company C, Fourteenth Infantry, private. Luckey, Jeremiah, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Luckey. John, Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private. Luckey, Samuel, Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, private. Lunbech, Andrew J., Company C, Fifth Infantry, fourth corporal. Lynch, James, Company H, Eighth Cavalry, private. McCardel, John K.. Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. McCaw, William J., Company I, Second Cavalry, private. McClure, Robert, Company C. Fifth Infantry, private. McConahay, Joseph, Company A. Ninth Cavalry, private. McConnell, Alexander E., Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, private. McCowen, Alexander, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private. McCowen, William, Company K, Fourth Cavalry, private. McCoy, Charles, Company F, First Cavalry, private. McCoy, Francis M.. Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. McCoy, John W., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. McCoy, Joseph, Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private. McCoy, Samuel, Company — , Nineteenth Infantry, private. McCoy, Samuel H.. Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. McCray, Addison, Company K, Second Cavalry, sergeant. McCullough, Allen, Company E, Fourteenth Infantry, private. McDaniel, Fred H., Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, corporal. McDaniel, John P.. Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. McDaniel, William H., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. McGill, William, Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

196 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

McGrau, Thomas, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private. McGraw, George, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private. McGraw, Squire. Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private. McFfenry, Thomas, Company K. Eighth Infantry, first corporal. McKay, Daniel, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. McKay, Norval W., Company I, Sixth Infantry, private. McKav. William H.. Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. McKee, James H., Company G. Nineteenth Infantry, private. McKinney, James R., Company I, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. McKinzie, Sylvester, Company C. Eighth Infantry, private. McXemer. Nicholas W., Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private. McNemer. Philip, Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, sixth corporal. McNall, Judson S., Company A, Seventh Infantry, private. McNatton. Joseph II.. Company C, First Infantry, private. McPherson. Orman. Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private. McQueen, John, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private. McSweeney, Ed, Company F. Eighth Cavalry, private. McSweeney, Daniel, Company F. Eighth Cavalry, private. Malier, Michael, Company D, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private. Mallory, Samuel W.. Company ( i. Nineteenth Infantry, private. Mauley. Andrew J.. Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. Manley, Franklin C. Company C, Eleventh Infantry, sixth corporal. Mauley, James, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. Mann, John F.. Company G. Nineteenth Infantry, private. Mann, William IT. Company I, Sixth Infantry, private. Manners, Joseph, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, second corporal. Manners, William A.. Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private. Marchant, Joseph, Company C, First Cavalry, private. Marchant. Samuel. Company C, First Cavalry, private. Marshall. John L., First Cavalry, musician.

Marshall, William H., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Martin, Ackissen, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private. Martin, Alvin H., Company L, Eighth Cavalry, private. Martin, Jacob C, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private. Martin, James, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private. Martin. John, Company C. Eleventh Infantry, third corporal. Massie. Vinton, Company G. Nineteenth Tnfantry, second sergeant. Masten, Ames, Company K. Eighth Infantry, private. Mathews, John A.. Company C, Eleventh Infantry, wagoner. Maxson, Francis M., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Maxwell. Absalom, Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private. Maxwell. Wilson S.. Company C, Forty-first Infantry, private. Mellinger, John, Company — . First Cavalry, private. Mench, Charles, Company C. Fifth Infantry, private. Merchant, Joseph, Company D, First Cavalry, private. Merrill, Asa, Company C. Eleventh Cavalry, private. Merrill, George W., Company C, Eleventh Cavalry, first corporal. Merrill, Peter, Jr., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, fifth sergeant.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 197

Merrill, Samuel, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Merrill. Thomas G.. Company C, Fifth Infantry, second corporal.

Mewhirter, Andrew B., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, wagoner.

Mickey, Isaac, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Mickey, John, Company D, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Mickey, William H.. Company F. Eighth Cavalry, private.

Millan, lames H., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Miller, Alexander, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Miller, Henry D., Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private.

Miller, Nicholas, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Miller, William P., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, second lieutenant.

Milligan. James, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Milligan, William H., Company I. Sixth Infantry, private.

Mincher, Calvin, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Mintun, Elbridge, Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, fourth corporal.

Mintun, Henry, First Cavalry, musician.

Mitchell, Alvin L.. Company C, Eleventh Infantry, first sergeant.

Mitchell. John. Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Morgan, Daniel, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, seventh corporal.

Morgan, George W., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, wagoner.

Morgan, Richard, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, seventh corporal.

Morgan, William, Company C, First Cavalry, private.

Mondan, William W., Company H. Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Moore, David B., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Moore, Henry R., Company E, Fifteenth United States Infantry, private.

Moore, John, Company C. Fifth United States Infantry, private.

Moore, Toseph M., Company C, Eleventh United States Infantry, private.

Moore, Robert J. W., Company K. Eighth United States Infantry, private.

Moore, Shannon R., Company G, Fourth Veteran Infantry, private.

Morris, Alexander, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Morris, Andrew J., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Morris, Charles, Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Morris, Charles F., Company F. Nineteenth Infantry, fifth corporal.

Morris. John W.. Company C, First Cavalry, private.

Morris, Martin C, Company C, First Cavalry, private.

Morris, Thomas B., Company M, Eighth Cavalry, first corporal.

Morris, Thomas C, Company C, Eleventh Cavalry, private.

Murfish, A., Company K, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Murphy, Dennis, Eighth Cavalry, chaplain.

Murphy, lohn H., Company G, Seventeenth Infantry, private.

Murray, Henry, Jr., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Murray, Joseph. Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, third corporal.

Murray, loshua, Company H. Second Infantry, private.

Myers, Frederick, Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, second corporal.

Nash, David, Company K, Fourth Cavalry, private.

Neal, Toseph, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, captain.

Neal, William, Company B, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Neal. William H., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

198 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Nellis, George S.. Company G. Nineteenth Infantry, third corporal.

Nelson, Joel A., Company B. Thirty-seventh Infantry, sixth corporal.

Nelson. Peter, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Nesbitt, William, Company — ,

Neville, Isaac A., Company E, Fourteenth Infantry, private.

Nevitt, Joseph H., Company F. Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Newman, Oliver W., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Nichols, Alvin J., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Norrill, James, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Norris, Ira, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Oats, John W., Company M, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Ochiltree, John. Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Ochiltree, Thomas J., Company M, Eighth Cavalry; fifth sergeant.

Ogden, Thomas A., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Olds, Briggs, Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Olds, David, Company A. Ninth Cavalry, private.

Olds. Henry F.. Company C. Eighth Infantry, private.

Olds. Jeremiah, Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Olmstead, Josiah G., Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, seventh corporal.

Ong, Finley M., Company K, Eighth Infantry, musician.

Orr. Samuel F.. Company C, Fifth Infantry, sixth corporal.

Orr, Samuel W., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Orr, Samuel Y., Company — , Eighth Infantry, private.

Orr, William F., Company C. Fifth Infantry, private.

Orris, Levi, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Orris, Martin L., Company C. Eighth Infantry, private.

Orris, Reuben, Company C. Eighth Infantry, private.

Osborne, Joseph S., Company C. Fifth Infantry, private.

Owens, James, Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Owens, John A.. Company F. Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Owens, Lewis L.. Company I. Sixth Infantry, private.

Owens, Robert O., Company I. Second Cavalry, private.

Owens, William. Company C. Sixteenth Infantry, seventh corporal.

Paisley, Francis T., Company M, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Paisley. Isaiah. Company C. Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Paisley, John, Company M, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Paislev, Samuel F., Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Pallet. Leander M., Company A, Seventh Infantry, private.

Pallet. Theodore. Company G, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Palmer, George, Company C. Fifth Infantry, private.

Palmer, Robinson C, Company K, Eighth Infantry, fourth sergeant.

Paschal, Allen S., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Paschal, George C, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Paschal. James D., Company F. Twenty-fifth Infantry, fourth corporal.

Paschal, Joseph. Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, private.

Paschal, Milton C, Company F, Thirty-seventh Infantry, private.

Paschal, William, Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, private.

Patterson, Charles W., Company F. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 199

Patton, James F.. Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, third corporal.

Patton, John, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Patton, John H., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Patton, Robert J„ Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), artificer.

Patton, William, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Paxson, John, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Paxton, James R.. Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Paxton, Robert J., Company K, Fourth Cavalry, private.

Payson, John, Company I, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Payton, James, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Pay ton, Richard E., Company C, Fifth Infantry, fourth corporal.

Payton, William. Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, fourth corporal.

Peck, John H., Company F, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Peel, Samuel K., Company E, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Pennington, Edward, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Perkins, Tobias, Company I, Sixth Infantry, private.

Pery, Eugene P., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Peterson, Andrew, Company K. Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), artificer.

Phares, William H., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Philips, Andrew, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Pierce, Albert H., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Pierce, Lyman B., Company K, Second Cavalry, corporal.

Pierpont, Anson T., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Pierpont, Isaac N., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Pierson, Simeon, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Pierson, Sineus, Company I, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Pike, Hennas P., Company I, Sixth Infantry, private.

Pike. Henry C, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Pike, Homer, Company D. Ninth Cavalry, private.

Pinkerton, James B., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Plumer, Ira, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Pontzius, James M., Company F. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Pontzius, William H. Company M, Eighth Cavalry, third sergeant.

Potter, Charles R., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, eighth corporal.

Powers, Haymond J., Company G, Seventeenth Infantry, private.

Pratt, Adam, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Presbery, George, Company — , Fourteenth Infantry, private.

Presbery, John C, Company F. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Pressly, Thomas C, Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Prettymah, Isaac, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Prettyman, William H, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Price, James P., Company B, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Price, Joseph, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Price. Michael, Company F. Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Pugh, Sanford, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Pugh, William, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Racer, Dennis, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Racer, Joseph, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

200 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Racer, William, Company II, Eighth Cavalry, private. Ramey. William H., Company I, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Ramey, William H., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Ramey, William R., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Randall, Warren X.. Company C, Eighth Infantry, private. Rathfon, George, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Rathfon, Leonard. Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Rathfon, Samuel, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, eighth corporal. Rausenherger, Harvey, Company 1. Second Cavalry, private. Ranshenberger, J. C, Company F, Second Cavalry, private. Raushenberger. Sylvan, Company K. Second Cavalrv, private. Raushenberger, William, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Rawmiller, William, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Raymond, Isaac M., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Recce. Benjamin F., Company L, Eighth Cavalrv, private. Reece, Martin, Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private. Reed, James M., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Reed. John A., Company — , First Cavalry, private. Reed, Thomas. Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. Reeder. James W., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, fifth corporal. Reiner. Edwin. Company C, Fifth Infantry, first lieutenant. Reese, James P., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Reese, Valentine, Company C, Fifteenth U. S. [nfantry, private. Reeser. Washington, Company F, Forty-fourth Infantry, private. Reiner, Ed. S.. Company C. Thirteenth Infantry, adjutant. Reister, David, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. Rerhoad. Conrad, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private. Rexroth, George, Company — , Nineteenth Infantry, private. Reynolds, Chalmers, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private. Reynolds, C. M., Company A, Seventh Infantry, private. Reynolds, Theodore G., Company A, Seventh Infantry, private. Reynolds, Samuel, Company K, Eighth Infantry, third corporal. Reynolds, William D.. Company A, Seventh Infantry, first lieutenant. Rice, Jacob, Company C, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private. Richley, Philip, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private. Ricketts, William, Company K, Eighth Infantry, first sergeant. Rickey. Joseph S.. Company F, Eleventh Infantry, private. Riggs. Augustus. Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private. Riley. Isaac T., Company C. Sixteenth Infantry, wagoner. Riley, Lewis A., Company II, Forty-fifth Infantry, private. Rinehart, Nicholas. Company C, Fifth Infantry, seventh corporal. Risocher, John S., Company H, Second Infantry, private. Ritter, Jonas, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. Robbins, David A.. Company I'., Forty-fifth Infantry, private. Roberts, Israel N., Company C, Eighth Infantry, private. Roberts, Levi, Company K, Thirteenth Infantry, private. Robertson, James, Company C, Eighth Infantry, private. Robertson, Samuel S.. Company F, Twenty-fifth [nfantry, private.

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THE COMMISSION OF JOHN RONALDS, AS COLONEL OF IOWA MILITIA

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HISTORY OF 'LOUISA COUNTY 201

Robertson, Thomas. Company C, Eighth Infantry, private.

Robertson, William, Company C, Fifth Infantry, eighth corporal.

Robertson, William S., Fifth Infantry, major.

Robinson, Charles. Company — , Fourteenth Infantry, private.

Robinson. John T.. Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, second corporal.

Robinson, Joseph A., Company A. Eleventh Infantry, private.

Robinson, Homer A., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Robinson. Omer, Company A, Ninth Cavalry, second lieutenant.

Robinson, William B., Company A, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Rock, James, Company D, Seventeenth Infantry, private.

Ross, Joseph, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Ross, Oscar, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, fourth corporal.

Ross, Thomas K., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, third corporal.

Rowe. Adam, Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Rowe, William N., Company D, Seventeenth Infantry, private.

Rozer. Franklin A., Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Rumerv. George, Company E, Eighteenth Infantry, private.

Rusk. Samuel M., Company E, Eighteenth Infantry, private.

Rutt, Hiram, Company F. Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Ryan, ferry A., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Ryan, lohn, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Ryan, Michael, Company K, Eighth Infantry, eighth corporal.

Sands, John W., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Saunders, William C, Company M, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Sayrs, Jeremiah, Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, eighth corporal.

Schofield, George W., Company K, Fourth Cavalry, private.

Schofield. Isaac, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Scott, Albert G.. Company C, Fifth .Infantry, private.

Scroggs, Joseph A.. Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Scull, James M., Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Scull, William V., Company F. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Seeford, George, Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), artificer.

Sellers, James N., Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Sellers, Josiah. Company C. Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Sellers, Newton N., Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Selman. Joshua. Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Serell, Aaron C, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Shaw. Francis L.. Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Sheets. Robert, Eighth Iowa.

Shepard, Daniel M., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Shepard, William C, Company A, Second Cavalry, private.

Shepherd, Cicero H., Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private.

Shindley, William. Company — , Eleventh Infantry, private.

Shipman, Alem B., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Shipman, Charles B., Company I. Sixth Infantry, private.

Shipman, Joseph R., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Shipman. Wesley C. Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Shisel, Demeter, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

202 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Sillick. Asher, Company K, Engineers Regiment of the West.

Simpson, James, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Sisk, John C., Company G, Twenty-seventh Infantry, Illinois, private.

Siverly, George, Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Siverly, Ivory, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Small. Isaac L.. Company H, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Small, lames L., Company H, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Smice, David. Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Smice, Harrison Henry, Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Smice, John, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Smice, Wesley. Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Smice, William, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Smith, Alvah S., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Smith. Edwin, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Smith, Herschel Y., Company F, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Smith, James. Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Smith. James R., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Smith, John C, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, first lieutenant.

Smith, Joseph R.. Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Smith, Loammie M., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, second lieutenant.

Smith. Seth. Company G. Seventeenth Infantry, private.

Smith, Sumner, Company K, Eighth Infantry, third sergeant.

Smith. William C, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Sowash, Daniel, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Sowash. Jacob. Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Snyder. Samuel, Company I, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Spafford, Andrew J., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Spafford, B. F.. Company F. Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Spafford. James W., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Spafford, Julius T., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Spafford. William H. H.. Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Sprague, George B., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Sprague, John E., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Springsteen, David R.. Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Sprows, John, Company I, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), wagoner.

Stacy, Isaac K., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Stahley, Frederick, Company — , Second Cavalry, private.

Stamm, Severenous, Company K, Second Cavalry, bugler.

Stark. Thomas G., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, second lieutenant.

Starks, William D., Company K, Fourteenth Infantry, private.

Stauber. Justus L., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Stein, John H., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Steneman, Isaac L., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Stephens, James F.. Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Stephens, John, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Stephens, Oran, Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Sterlin, James C, Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, second lieutenant.

Sterrett, Albert P.. Company F. Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 203

Sterrett, David, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Sterrett, Robert, Company K, Eighth Infantry, second corporal.

Stevens, Jacob L., Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Stewart, Thomas, Company G, Seventeenth Infantry, fourth sergeant.

Stewart, William C, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Stineman, Peter, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Stingle, John, Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Stocks, John W., Company C, Thirtieth Infantry, private.

Stoddard, Mason W., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Stone, Henry M., Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry ,_ private.

Stone, Joseph, First Cavalry, musician.

Stoneman, Jesse F., Company K, Eighth Infantry, seventh corporal.

Story, Cornelius A., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Story, John, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Story, Joseph, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Story, Thomas, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

St. Peter, Theordore, Company A, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Strange, John, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Stroops, Eli, Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Stroud, Lewis H., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Sullivan, James B., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Sullivan, Joshua B., Company I, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Swan, John A., Company M, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Swank, Francis J., Company A, Second Cavalry, private.

Swank, Louis E., Company A, Second Cavalry, private.

Syfrits, Christian, Company I, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Swygard, Frederick, Company C, Thirtieth Infantry, private.

Talbot, William J., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Taylor, Andrew M., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, captain.

Taylor, Henry H., Company I, Sixth Infantry, private.

Taylor, James J., Company K, Second Cavalry, private.

Taylor, John, Company K, Second Cavalry, private.

Taylor, Julius S., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Taylor, Samuel, Company G. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Tedford, George B., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Tedford, James G., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Tedford, James M., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private. .

Tedford, William A., Company H, Second Infantry, private.

Tedford, William H., Company F, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Teets, Henry J., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Teets, William L., Company FI, Forty-fifth Infantry, sixth corporal.

Tharp, Lee, Company K, Eighth Infantry, sixth corporal.

Thomas, Cicero, Company F. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Thomas, Edward H., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, seventh corporal.

Thomas, Griffith. Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Thomas, Henry, Jr.. Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, fourth sergeant.

Thomas, Isham, Company G, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Thomas, James. Company F. Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

204 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Thompson. Baylis. Company I, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Thompson. James T., Company F, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Thompson, Samuel A., Company K, Eighth Infantry, first lieutenant.

Thompson, Stewart. Company C. Fifth Infantry, private.

Thompson. William. Company H, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Thompson. William li., Company A, Seventh Infantry, private.

Tice, Adam E., Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private.

Tice, David E., Company K, Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Tindall, George, Company C, Fifth Infantry, sixth corporal.

Tinmoney, E. M., Fifteenth United States Infantry, captain.

Tiser, Andrew. Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), artificer.

Todd, James R., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, eighth corporal.

Todd, Oliver P.. Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Tompkins, Ahner W., Company K. Eighth Infantry, private.

Tompkins, John. Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Tompkins, Sila- W., Company C. First Infantry, private.

Toole, Charles E.. Company L, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Townsend. Minus. Company G, Xineteenth Infantrv. private.

Townsley, William. Company F. Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Trask. Herman ]., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Trible, Elijah, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantrv, private.

Triggs, William, Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Tucker, George, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Tucker, John W., Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Tucker, Lewis. Company C, Fourteenth Infantry, private.

Tucker, Philip M.. Company E. Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Tudor, Hugh, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Turkington, Samuel, Company ( I, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Turner. James. Company I. Sixth Infantry, captain.

Turner. Otho W.. Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, private.

Turnley, Andrew J., Company F, Xineteenth Infantry, private.

Tuttle. Simeon, Company — , First Cavalry, private.

Twiggs. William M.. Company C. Eleventh Infantry, second lieutenant.

Ufford, Thomas. Company H. Eleventh Infantry, private.

Usher, Andrew J., Company — , First Cavalry, private.

Utt, Elias B., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Utter1, Adelbert. Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Utter, Williston, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Vandervort, Charles. Fifty-fifth Illinois.

Yandervort, Francis A., Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Vandervort, William A., Company G, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Yandevard, John D., Company F. Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Yandyke, Corwin C, Company II. Second Infantry, private.

Vandyke, J. D. W., Company C. Fourteenth Infantry, private.

Vandyke, John W. S., Company H, Second Infantry, private.

Vandyke. William H. H., Company H, Second Infantry, private.

Vanhorn, John B., Company C. Fifth Infantry, fifth sergeant.

Vanloon, Charles. Company F, Xineteenth Infantry, private.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 205

Vanorman, Joseph F., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Vanormand. Daniel W-, Company C. Eighth Infantry, private.

Vaughn, Elsa, Company H, Eighth Cavalry, private.

Wabtz, George B., Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private.

Wagner, John H., Company F. Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Wagner, Joseph F., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Wagoner. Deter, Company G. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Walcot, Lewis E., Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Walker, David C, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Walker, Hiram, Company G. Second Cavalry, private.

Walker, William, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Walker. William A., Company I, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Wall. William, Company A, Second Cavalry, private.

Wallace, William B., Company C, Fifth Infantry, fifth corporal.

Waltz. George B., Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private.

Waltz. Henry C. Company E, Eighteenth Infantry, private.

Wanzer, Henry, Company M, Seventh Cavalry, quartermaster sergeant.

Ware. Levi. Company F. Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Washburn, William J., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Wasson, John H.. Company D. Seventeenth Infantry, private.

Watson, John. Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, private.

Watts, Benjamin B., Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Watts, lames, Company A, Second Cavalry, private.

Watts, James F., Company G. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Watts, lames M., Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private.

Watts. Thomas J., Company C, Fifth Infantry, private.

Weaver. Erastus, Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, musician.

Weber, Frederick, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Weeks, Lysander. Company K, Eighth Infantry, captain.

Weise, August. Company F. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Welch, Ambrose. Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Welch. William, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Welsh. John, Company E, Sixteenth Infantry, private.

Wescha, Richard, Company F. Thirty-fifth Infantry, private.

Wescot. Miles D., Company C, Eighth Infantry private.

Wesier, Peter, Company K. Second Cavalry, eighth corporal.

West. Wesley, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Westervelt, John. Company D, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Westfall, John W.. Company I, Sixth Infantry, private.

Wheeler, Charles, Company K. Eighth Infantry, private.

Whicher. Thomas. Company F. Sixteenth Illinois Infantry, private.

Whicher. Wiley, Company F, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Whicher, William D.. Company E. Eighteenth Infantry, private.

Whisler, Adam. Company K, Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), artificer.

White, James, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Whitescarver, John S., Company K. Eighth Infantry, private.

Wiggins, Hiram H., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Wilcox. Robert B.. Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

206 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Will, John, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Willcox, William V., Company H, Eighth Cavalry, trumpeter.

Williams, Alva T.. Company D, Seventeenth Infantry.

Williams. Austin, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, third corporal.

Williams. Dennis. Company K. Engineer Regiment of West (Mo.), musician.

Williams. Gamaliel B., First Cavalry, third musician.

Williams, Ira W., Company F, First Cavalry, private.

Williams, James, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Williams, James L., Company B, Forty-fifth Infantry, private.

Williams, John, Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Williams, Oscar N., Company 15, First Cavalry, private.

Williams, Thomas S.. Company 11. First Cavalry, private.

William-. Ward W.. Company K, Fourth Cavalry, private.

Williams, Warren. Company 1',. First Cavalry, private.

Williamson. Elisha T.. Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, first lieutenant.

Williamson, William C, Company K. Fourth Cavalry, private.

Willis, James M., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Willis. Sylvester. Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Willtrout, David, Company — , Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Wilson, Alonzo, Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

Wilson. James C, Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Wilson. John F.. Company K, Fourth Cavalry, private.

Wilson. John W., Company G Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Wilson, William F„ Company F. Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Winder, David D., Company A, Ninth Cavalry, private.

Winder, Thomas C, Company ( i. Eleventh Infantry, private.

Wires, John T., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, private.

Wood. Aurelius, Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Wood. John, Company F. Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Woodruff. Chalmers. Company F. First Cavalry, private.

Woodruff. Robert F., Company — , Second Cavalry, private.

Woolcot, William P.., Company C. Eighth Infantry, private.

Woolwine. George W.. Company G Nineteenth Infantry, first corporal.

Worley, Robert. Company F. Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Wren. John. Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Wright, Bazaleel F., Company G, Nineteenth Infantry, second lieutenant.

Wright, Cyprian L., Company F, Nineteenth Infantry, private.

Wylie, James R.. Company D, Fourth Infantry, private.

Wylie, John J.. Company A. First Infantry, private.

Wvman. Joel W., Company G Nineteenth Infantry private.

Wynkoop, Gerodes. Company C. Eleventh Infantry, private.

Yeager, Harvey B.. Company I. Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Young. Charles, Company B, Thirty-seventh Infantry, fifth corporal.

Young, Edward, Company F, Twenty-fifth Infantry, private.

Young. Lewis, Company A. Ninth Cavalry, private.

York, William G. Company G, Seventeenth Infantry, private.

Zeiger, James M., Company C, Eleventh Infantry, fifth corporal.

Zimmerman. John. Company K, Eighth Infantry, private.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 207

Henry Fleming. Robert Gillenwater.

Peter Godwin. George Simpson.

C. Martin. William Norris (colored).

Samuel Warnstaff. James Milton.

Edmund Linton. Daniel .Milton.

L. C. Williams. Robert McClure.

Patrick Coin.

LOUISA COUNTY SOLDIERS IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN AND

PHILIPPINE WARS.

50TH REGIMENT, CO. "C."

Commodore Bond, Morning Sun. Roy L. Hendrix, Letts. Samuel M. Jamison, Wapello. William Killough, Morning Sun. Charles Nichols, Morning Sun. Harry Marshall, Morning Sun. Win. T. Ochiltree, Morning Sun. Frank Paisley, Morning Sun. Hugh Paisley, Morning Sun. Carl Thompson, Morning Sun. Claude Thompson, Morning Sun. John Wilson, Morning Sun.

5OTH REGIMENT, CO. "d."

John C. Jones, Cotter.

5OTH REGIMENT, CO. "('.."

Harold R. Stapp, Columbus Junction.

50TH REGIMENT, CO. "l."

John C. Bowman, Columbus Junction. Edwin C. Hendrix, Letts. Harry C. Knaub, Columbus Junction. Charles Willey, Columbus Junction. Walter V. Willey, Columbus Junction.

50TH REGIMENT, CO. "M."

Walter M. Kilpatrick, Morning Sun. Ezra Keller, Morning Sun. Fred Lacey. Wapello.

5 1ST REGIMENT, CO. "d."

Spencer B. Paxton, Columbus Junction.

208 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

5 1ST REGIMENT, CO. "F."

Wm. H. Lacey, Wapello.

Thos. F. McLaughlin. Wapello.

Frank L. Bishop, Wapello.

Homer J. Darrow, Columbus Junction.

Thomas II. Grubb, Columbus Junction.

Jay Hale, Wapello.

Norman T. Witherow, Wapello.

Eugene II. Pease, Wapello.

Evan M. Roberts, Columbus Junction.

Alvin Simmons, Columbus Junction.

Charles W. Finley, Morning Sun.

loel A. Windmiller, Morning Sun.

Robert 11. Wilcox, Columbus Junction.

3 1 s E REGIMENT, CO. "K."

Edwin 1'. Shellabarger, Columbus Junction.

4OTII U. S. VOLUNTEERS.

Company B. John Gunnels, Wapello.

Company C. Wm. E. Biggs. Wapello.

Company C. Wm. Davis, Wapello.

Company C. Roy Johnson. Wapello.

Company C. Howard Kelley, Wapello.

Company D. Geo. Schaffer, Wapello.

Musician. Gordon Younkin, Wapello.

CHAPTER XIII. TRAXSPORTATIOX FACILITIES.

THE RIVERS THE RAILROADS — THE AIR LINE RAILROAD.

THE IOWA AND CEDAR RIVERS.

We have only been able to get fragmentary and disconnected facts relating to the navigation of the Iowa and Cedar rivers. The first steamer of which we have any account was called the "Ripple" and ascended the Iowa river as far as Iowa City, arriving there on June 20, 1841. This event created great excitement in Iowa City, and a full account of it is given in the Iowa City Standard, of Tuesday, June 24, 1841. On June 21st there was a public meeting of the citi- zens and a committee was appointed to invite Captain D. Jones of the "Ripple" and his passengers and crew to a public dinner. The dinner was held at the National Hotel and on that occasion addresses were made by Major John B. Xewhall, of Burlington, author of "Sketches of Iowa," and by Captain Jones and some others. The "Ripple" started on this trip from Burlington, on the Mississippi, and, according to Major Xewhall, it was the first steamer to navi- gate the "Iowa Fork." Just what Major Xewhall meant by the term Iowa fork is hard to determine. It might be that he meant to distinguish it from the Cedar, and to allow us to infer that the Cedar had been navigated by steamers before that time ; but he also said in his speech that the people from every vil- lage and cabin from the mouth of the Iowa to Iowa City, were much excited by this voyage made by the "Ripple" and hailed its arrival with loud huzzahs, the firing of rifles and other manifestations. This statement would indicate that the "Ripple" was the first steamer to ascend either the Iowa or the Cedar.

In the Bloomington Herald of August 2, 1844, there is a notice that the "Maid of Iowa" would leave Burlington on the 15th of August and ascend the Cedar river as far as Washington ferry.

The next steamboat item we find is from a document in the office of the Louisa county recorder, from which it appears that the steamboat 'Tola," James Sharkey, captain, and James Viets, pilot, on May 8, 1845, in descending the Iowa river at a point about eight or nine miles below Iowa City, ran over a log which was entirely concealed in the water, and that several timbers of the boat were broken and several planks much shattered, causing the steamboat to sink immediately in the Iowa river ; that thereupon, in order to save the cargo of said boat, all persons named (and the names of thirteen persons are given in the record) shifted the freight on said boat and got her under way, but by the even- ing of May 9th said boat was found to be in a sinking condition and the freight was consequently taken from the boat and put on shore.

209

210 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

There was considerable activity on the Iowa river in Louisa county, begin- ning about 1846. In May, 1846, there was a steamboat loaded at Todd's landing, near Columbus City, with produce for Wesley Jones and William D. McCord, of Burlington.

In Tune, 1847, Joseph L. Derbin had a barge built at Fredonia, which was launched on the 19th of June and loaded with produce for St. Louis. We give herewith the facsimile of a notice posted in Columbus City of date July 13, 1847, concerning a fast sailing horse boat under charge of Captain Wheelock.

In Tune, 1848, the barge of Joseph A. Luckett was built at Todd's ferry and loaded with produce for the St. Louis market, and a little later in the same vear the barge "Lexington" was built at Fredonia. In the same year the steamer "Piasa." owned by Joseph L. Derbin and E. B. Isett. began making trips on the Iowa river as far up as Iowa City, and continued this whenever the stage of the water permitted, up to the spring of 1850. In 1849 the river was quite low and the "Piasa" stuck on a sandbar at Whipple's ferry opposite Fredonia. The steamboat "Herald" made three trips to Iowa City in 1849. one the latter part of March, and the other two in April. The steamboat "Hawkeye" went to Cedar Rapids in the latter part of March, 1849. The "Hawkeye" again went to Iowa City in 1852.

The "Magnet" went to Iowa City in April, 1850, at a time when the "Piasa" was also there. At the time of the great flood of the Iowa in 1851. steamboats could not land at Todd's ferry, but their landing place for Columbus City trade was at David Flack's landing.

In the spring and summer of 1851 the following steamers appear to have navigated the Iowa, most of them as far as Iowa City: The "Daniel Hillman," Arnold, captain; the "Archer," Rogers, master; the "Uncle Toby." Clark, master. Early in June occurred the unprecedented flood in the Iowa river, when it reached the highest point known. About this time the "Uncle Toby" took freight from Wapello to Iowa City, and a number of Wapellonians went to Iowa City on this boat on a pleasure trip.

We quote the following articles from the Louisa County Times of April 20, 1851: "One day last week our citizens were gratified with the sight of several boats laden with flour, etc., on their way toward the Mississippi — they were built and cargoed at Cedar Rapids, in Linn county. Now it does appear strange to us, when flat boats, heavily freighted, can find their way out of one of the tributaries of the Iowa into said rivers and thence to the Mississippi. We cannot be blessed with the sight of a small class steamer at our place every week at least. Why, there is any quantity of freight here just waiting to be shipped, if a boat would only give us a call, and then as we said before, if flat boats heavily freighted can run out. what is to prevent small steamers from plying regularly between here and Burlington, or some other point on the Mississippi? The river at this time is about its lowest stage, and yet these boats appeared to get along without much trouble."

The Louisa County Times of April 6, 1852. announced that the fine new steamer "Black I lawk" rounded t" last Saturday on her way to Iowa City, and the same paper under date of May 11. 1852. has the following item: "Nearly every day a steamboat touches the wharf at the foot of what is called Gawky street, — rather a pretty place by the way. though so oddly named."

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HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 211

In May, 1852, the steam packet "Yankee" was making trips up the Iowa and Cedar rivers. The boat was under command of Captain Lavielle. It ap- pears from a communication in the Louisa County Times of June 1, 1852, written by B. F. Wright, who had recently taken a trip on this boat up to Cedar Rapids and back, that the trip from Wapello began on the morning of May 13th and that the boat arrived at Cedar Rapids on the evening of May 20th, having encountered a strong wind and had to lay up the previous night on ac- count of the fog. The article also states that the boat left Cedar Rapids at 12 o'clock M. on the 21st of May, and a little further on states that it arrived at Wapello about 12 o'clock M. on the 21st. This latter date is, of course, a mis- print, but we have no means of knowing the exact length of this trip.

We copy the following article from the Louisa County Times of May 17, 1853: "The 'Dan Hillman' and 'Excel,' two steamboats of character, have been plying with remarkable success in the Iowa and Cedar rivers. The 'Dan Hill- man' was reported sunk in Cedar river, but it turns out to be a hoax, as she passed here in fine style yesterday morning, and, it appears, has been making money by maneuvering in Cedar river. The 'Excel' went up on Sunday even- ing, bound for Iowa City, loaded to her guards. She is some at running, sure. We have never seen a boat in the Iowa stem the rapid current opposite this place with such power and speed. She has made the quickest trip 'on record' from this place to Iowa City, leaving here on Tuesday morning, and returned on Thursday, meanwhile discharging and receiving a large amount of freight and laying by, from accident, four hours."

The "Dan Hillman" made several trips from St. Louis to the forks of the Iowa and Cedar rivers in 1853. On one of these trips she had a full cargo of general merchandise for Philip Gore and Colonel W. W. Garner, the two lead- ing merchants of Columbus City. Colonel Garner's part of the cargo consisted of iron, stoves, nails and furniture.

May 30, 1854, the Iowa was said to be in good condition for boating and the little steamer "Berlin" landed at Wapello on a Friday, bound for Cedar Rapids.

In 1859 the steamer "Cedar Rapids" was making trips to and from that city. This is one of the boats referred to in the article of Mr. Thomas, which is given at the conclusion of this chapter.

We find from the Wapello Republican that in the spring of 1861 the steamers "Orion," "Black Hawk" and "Eureka" were arriving at and departing from Wapello occasionally.

The Republican of April 24, 1862, notes that on Sunday "the fine little steamer 'Gen. Halleck' arrived at our landing, bringing a quantity of freight for Messrs. M. P. Vanloon and O. Robinson, merchants of this city. On Monday she re- ceived a load of freight and left for Burlington."

The same paper for May 1, 1862, chronicles the arrival of the "Forest Queen" on Monday evening, April 28th, and states that after receiving a quantity of freight from Messrs. Herrick & Davison, she departed the next day for St. Louis.

About this time the Iowa river was within a few inches of as high as it had been in 185 1, and Long creek was so high that at one time no mail was car- ried across it for five or six days.

212 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Another steamer that was navigating the Iowa about this same time was called the "Catawba," Captain Root.

The next item we rind in the Republican is of date August 8, 1865, and states that the little steamer •'Turtle" has been making frequent trips recently, principally loaded with lumber for the lumber yard of Mr. Semple.

In August, 1866, the "Iowa City" was making two trips a week between Wapello and Burlington. Captain Reninger was her commander, and the cabin passengers' fare to Burlington and return was $4; deck passengers, $2. It is said that on one of its trips from Burlington two Burlington grain buyers boarded the "Iowa City" to buy a lot of wheat that was known to be at the Wapello mill. This was in September, i860. Just as the boat was about to start one of the -rain buyers went ashore, remarking so that the other could hear him, that it was not worth while for both of them to go. However, he had no intention of leav- ing the field to the other man, but got a horse and beat the boat to Wapello, and bought the wheat.

At this time a number of railroad bridges had been built across the Iowa and Cedar rivers, and railroad transportation had in a great measure taken the place of river transportation, ami the people were beginning to want to erect wagon bridges across the river.

On April 10. 18(18. Congressman Loughridge, of Iowa, introduced a bill in the house of representatives declaring the Iowa river not navigable above Wapello.

Just previous to this a resolution had been offered in the senate of the Iowa legislature, asking congress to take such action. This resolution was favorably reported by the senate committee on commerce, and our Louisa county senator, Dr. James M. Robertson, was favorable to it. Senator Fairall. of Iowa City, was opposed to it, and desired to substitute Iowa City in place of Wapello.

On April 2d. 1868, the legislature adopted a memorial and joint resolution asking congress to declare the Iowa river unnavigable from the city of Wapello north, ami on May 6. 1870. an act of congress was approved, which provided that so much of the Iowa river in the state of Iowa as lies north of the town of Wapello shall be declared not a navigable river or public highway.

We will state in this connection, although a little out of its regular order, that in August, 1894. a provision was inserted in the river and harbor bill which provided that "so much of the Iowa river within the state of Iowa as lies be- tween the town of Toolsboro and the town of Wapello in the county of Louisa, shall not be deemed a navigable river or public highway, but dams and bridges may be constructed across it."

In 1868, the "Gussy Girclon," owned by Harris brothers of Turlington, with Ed. Thomas at the wheel, made frequent trips between Burlington and Wapello.

In 1869 the only boats which we have any account of were the "Swallow" and the "Lily." It seems that in July, 1869, the "Swallow" carried to Pittsburg Point some fifteen tons of iron to use in laying the track of the B. C. R. & AT. railroad in the long cut near that town. The "Lily" seems to have been run by Ed. Thomas on his own hook and she made trips from Wapello to any point on the Mississippi river where it could be made to pay. The steamer "Swallow" is designated as being from Oquawka. a side wheeler, drawing fifteen inches of water when running light and having a freighting capacity of 500 sacks of grain.

According to the Wapello Republican the "Swallow" had a great deal to do during the spring of 1869.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 213

A large stern wheeler, "Try Us," with Ed Thomas as pilot, came up the Iowa river on May 25th as far as Florence and laid up there because Mr. Thomas did not believe she could get over the sandbars just below Wapello. Her barge was sent up to Wapello after a load of high wines from the Wapello distillery.

We conclude this chapter with an article written by Edward H. Thomas, who was for many years a pilot. Mr. Thomas is a namesake of Edward H. Thomas, one of the pioneer lawyers of the county, and was a son of William H. R. Thomas, whose name figures quite prominently in the early history of the county. Mr. Thomas was also a gallant soldier in the Nineteenth Iowa. Many of the older residents of the county will remember Mr. Thomas and his charm- ing sister, Miss Lou Thomas, and will be glad to know that both are still living in Ottumwa, where Mr. Thomas has charge of the postoffice at South Ottumwa.

NAVIGATING THE IOWA AND CEDAR RIVERS.

By E. H. Thomas.

I have been requested to furnish some information for the history of Louisa county, in reference to navigation on the Iowa and Cedar rivers. I have no data from which to work, and what I shall say shall be entirely from memory. If some errors are made they will have to be overlooked. As I was born on the west bank of the Iowa river, about six miles below Fredonia, nearly seventy years ago, and later on lived in Wapello up to 1870, I remember many of the boats which navigated these two streams during the late '40s and for many years thereafter.

The settlement of the Iowa and Cedar river valleys commenced about 1836. People from the east came in there, farmers and merchants. Towns were started here and there and the farmers commenced the cultivation of the soil. The land was very productive. The early farmers brought but little money with them and the merchants who furnished them with supplies were compelled to take their pay in grain and pork. The nearest market was St. Louis. The merchants bought their groceries there and their dry goods in Cincinnati. As the land was brought under cultivation, the merchants became loaded with the products of the farm. They purchased the stuff cheap enough — corn at ten cents per bushel and pork about a dollar and a half per hundred, — but what to do with it was the knotty problem for the merchants.

At Wapello, the Isett brothers, Mark Davison and J. C. Lockwood erected large warehouses and packing houses near the river, in which to store the grain and pork. Such storehouses were built at other towns along the two rivers. During the '40s there were but few steamboats on the Upper Mississippi, and they could not be induced to navigate the Iowa and Cedar.

I believe it was Captain Joe Luckett. of Toddtown, who conceived the idea of building and operating a fleet of barges to St. Louis. In those days they were called "keel boats." A company was organized, five or six of the barges were built and the people of the valleys- had their first communication with the markets of the country. This was about the close of the Mexican war and I

remember that the boats were named after the heroes of that conflict, the

General Scott, General Taylor, General Wadsworth, etc.

214 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Loaded with grain and pork and handled with oars, the boats were floated to St. Louis. There they were reloaded with goods for the merchants and towed back by steamboat to the mouth of the Iowa river. Here was where the laborious work commenced. It required eight men, four on a side, with polls, to push a barge up against the current of the river. Where a very swift place was encountered, a line was taken ahead and made fast, and the boat was then pulled up stream along the shore. The barge line was in successful opera- tion for several years, but as the lands of the L'pper Mississippi valley were brought under cultivation, it soon caused a surplus in the St. Louis market and prices went off. About this time corn sold as low as eight cents per bushel and pork at a dollar and a quarter. The owners of the fleet of boats discovered that their margin of profit was too small, that the expense account of the boats was taking it all. Some cheaper and quicker method must be devised to get this stuff to St. Louis.

The next proposition was to purchase a steamboat which would carry a cargo and tow the barges. A Captain Durbin, who had experience on the water, was sent to the Ohio river and there purchased a steamboat called the Piasa, and brought her to Wapello. The arrival of the boat was the greatest event of the '50s, not excepting the big barbecue and the breaking of dirt for the Philadelphia, Fort Wayne, Platte River, San Francisco Air Line Railroad. Crowds followed the Piasa on both banks of the river, and at every landing her docks were loaded with the natives. Had the Piasa been provided with sufficient power, it might have been a paying proposition, but she was slower than a yoke of cattle. She would often consume three weeks' time in making a round trip to St. Louis. The shippers soon found that this was also a losing proposition and the Piasa and some of the barges were sold. One of the barges, the General Wadsworth. now lies buried deep down in the sand just below Wapello.

However, the Piasa did one thing. She demonstrated that the Iowa and Cedar rivers could be navigated by a steamboat. So in the early '50s the Mississippi steamers came into the trade and navigated the two streams up to about 1869. Among the boats running during the '50s, I remember the Ken- tucky, Uncle Toby, John Bell, Cedar Rapids, Adelia. Magnet, Eureka, Time and Tide, and there were others whose names I cannot recall. After the Civil war came the Young Eagle, Iowa City, T. P. Benton, Annie Gordon, Red Bird, and others.

There were two of these steamers which were built expressly for the Iowa and Cedar river trade — the Cedar Rapids and the Iowa City. Somewhere in the '50s, before the railroads invaded that section of the country, there came to the then small town of Cedar Rapids, a widow, and she brought some money with her. Her husband had made a fortune in operating steamboats on the Ohio river. She told the people of Cedar Rapids that the one thing needed to bring them prosperity was water transportation to and from the markets of the country ; in other words, a steamboat which would make regular trips to and from St. Louis. They agreed with her and she at once went back to the Ohio river, had the steamer built and named it after the town in which she had lived on the beautiful Cedar river. In a short time the Cedar Rapids came steaming up the Iowa. The lady, whose name I have forgotten, was not only

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 215

the owner of the boat, but the captain of it. She was a large, fine looking woman, had an easy and rapid flow of language, and under her direction the crew of men was kept on the move. In fact, her word was the law on the steamboat Cedar Rapids.

The Cedar Rapids was a stern wheel, had good power and a cabin the full length of her, but she was too large for the Iowa and Cedar rivers and an ugly brute to handle. She would very frequently run away with the pilot and go into the bank and the woods. However, the "Rapids," as we called her, did a paying passenger and freight business for some time. Her steering gear finally put her out of business. On one of her trips to St. Louis she had a collision with the Lucy May. It was a dark night and the wind was blowing. As the "Rapids" approached the ascending boat, the pilot lost control of her and she went into the Lucy May, head on. The "Rapids" had a good heavy, hull and was but slightly injured but the Lucy May, with her cargo, went to the bottom of the Mississippi river. When the Cedar Rapids hit the levee at St. Louis, she was attached and sold to pay for the Lucy May and her cargo, which was a total loss. Some passengers on the Lucy May were drowned, and the pilot of the "Rapids" and other officers were jailed on a charge of man- slaughter. The widow, after this experience, went out of the transportation business.

As I see it, the Iowa City was the only boat ever in the trade which fit the two rivers. She had good power, built for fifty passengers, and when light her draft was but twenty inches. She towed two barges, and with four feet of water in the rivers, the three boats loaded to three and a half feet, carried five thousand sacks of corn. She did a good business there for nearly four seasons, or until the building of the Burlington & Cedar Rapids railroad put her out of the trade. In other words, as on the Mississippi, the shippers abandoned the cheaper method of transportation and sent all of their stuff by rail, which I regard as a serious mistake. People who live along the shore of a river which can be navigated for even a portion of the year, should use it. Water trans- portation is the cheapest method known and the operation of boats to and from river points largely reduces the freight rates by rail.

THE RAILROADS.

Louisa county now has very ample railroad facilities. The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific has a line crossing the county east and west, through Letts- ville, Fredonia, Columbus Junction and Cotter. This line was originally known as the Mississippi & Missouri Railroad Company. The records show that the condemnation proceedings for procuring the right of way were begun by A. O. Patterson, attorney, in October, 1855. Peter A. Dey was the chief engineer. The road was completed to Fredonia by the 4th of July, 1857. This remained the terminus of the road so far as traffic was concerned, for several months. The road was completed to the Sand Bank early in the winter of 1857-58. It was completed to Washington in 1859.

An effort was made to get this road to run through Columbus City, and a number of the citizens there, including Colonel W. W. Garner and George D. Harrison, exerted themselves to this end. At one time Colonel Garner surveyed

216 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

a line crossing the Iowa river half a mile or so south of the present bridge, and passing immediately south of Columbus City. However, some of the heavy property owners of Columbus City thought that the road was sure to come through and refused to aid in securing it.

The Mississippi & Missouri Railroad was often ridiculed by the Wapello Intelligencer, during the years 1853 and 1854. The issue of February 13, 1854, contains the following:

"Hurrah for the Muscatine and Oskaloosa Railroad ! From a gentleman who has just returned from Muscatine we learn that work has actually com- menced upon that much talked of road. He states that one boss and two hands are actually engaged upon the work. Should they prove to be industrious and energetic it is confidently expected that the mad will reach the Iowa River some time during the present century."

The Rock Island also owns a line of railway extending through the county north and south, by way of Morning Sun, Wapello. Bard and Columbus Junction. This road was first called the Cedar Rapids and Burlington Railway Compam , and it begun securing its right of way in this county in the spring of 1868. It was completed to Wapello in 1869. The people of Columbus City township did not want to see it stop at Wapello, and they raised something like $10,000 to have it built as far as Columbus Junction. Cyril Carpenter, one of the leading citizens of Oakland township, made a large contribution to have the road extended on farther north. This line has gone under various names since that time. Tt has been known as the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota : then the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern, and in June, 1002, it was leased for ninety-nine years to the Rock Island which now controls it.

The next railroad to be built through any part of the county, was the Narrow Gauge, called the Burlington & Northwestern. This merely touches the county in the southwest corner, the only station in this county being Wyman. It was built through the county about 1881.

The Iowa Central Railway has a line of road passing through the county east and west, going through Oakville, Elrick Junction, Newport, Morning Sun and Marsh. This road was first known as the Chicago, Burlington & Pacific, and the greater part, if not all of its right of way deeds were procured in 1882 and 1883, and it was constructed about that time. In July. 1888, it was sold under foreclosure proceedings to the Iowa Railway Company, and in the fol- lowing month it was again sold to the Iowa Central Railway Company.

The next addition to the county's railway facilities was the Muscatine, North & South Railroad Company. Tt was built in i8q8 from Muscatine to Elrick Junction, and passes through Grandview and Wapello.

Taxes were levied to aid in the construction of this road, in Grandview township, Wapello township and in the City of Wapello. The proposition to vote this tax was bitterly resisted at the time. At this writing, this road has been extended by way of Oakville, south to Burlington.

The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company has an excellent line of road, passing in nearly an east and west direction through Oakland and Union townships. The only station in this county is Gladwin, in Union town-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 217

ship. The company began its right of way proceedings in the year 1901. and settled with every landowner in this county, whose land it touched, without litigation.

A great many other railroads have been built through this county, on paper, aside from the Air Line. There was a Keokuk, Mt. Pleasant & Muscatine, and an Iowa Union Railway Company, both projected at about the same time as the Air Line. In 1867 there was quite a movement to build a railroad from Muscatine to Wapello. Articles of Incorporation were adopted and directors elected. John Bird of Wapello, was president, and Allan Brunhall of Muscatine. was secretary.

In 1879 the Mt. Pleasant, Wapello and Muscatine Railway was agitated. A meeting was held in Wapello in August, 1879, at which Senator James Harlan presided, and L. A. Reiley was secretary. Articles of incorporation were adopted. The capital stock was fixed at $1,000,000 and the following directors were elected : Henry Ambler, James Harlan and H. S. Clark of Henry county. I. S. Hurley, J. P. Walker and George Jamison of Louisa county ; and S. < i. Stine, S. E. Whicher and G. B. Johnson of Muscatine county.

In 1871 the Mississippi & Northwestern Railroad project was taken hold of and a tax was voted in Marshall and in Wapello townships in the fall of that year.

THE AIR LINK RAILROAD.

Louisa county has its share of railroads and has had its full share of rail- road projects, but the one which at one time caused the people to indulge in the most buoyant hopes, and later, to feel the keenest chagrin, was the Air Line project — a project for which the people of Louisa county paid nearly .$300,000 without getting the railroad.

In 185 1 a number of distinguished men, among whom were General Robert C. Schenck, General Wilson, Judge Humphrey and others equally noted, began a movement to organize an air 'me railroad from some central point in Pennsyl- vania to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Meetings were held in 1852 along the proposed line, newspapers advocated the movement and companies were formed to prose- cute the work. In 1853 the star of this agitation took its way as far westward as New Boston, and from there into Iowa. It was confidently believed by that time that this road could and would be put through Louisa county and on to the Missouri river. To further this project, articles of incorporation of the Philadelphia, Fort Wayne & Platte River Air Line Company were filed in this county, on Tune 23, 1853. signed by the following named board of directors: James Noffsinger. John Bell, Jr.. John Bird, H. T. Cleaver. William L. Toole, S. M. Kirkpatrick, J. W. Isett. Wright Williams, Samuel Townsend.

These articles provided that the main track of said road should commence on the Mississippi river at or near Toole*s Landing and run through or by Wapello, thence westerly on or near an air line to the Missouri river, opposite the Platte river valley. The amount of the capital stock was fixed at $5,000,000 to be increased as emergency should demand. The shares were $100 each and it was provided that when one hundred shares should be taken, the subscribers should assemble at the courthouse in Wapello, at which time one per centum on each share should be paid to the presiding officer of the board, to be by him

218 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

paid to the treasurer of the corporation. It will thus be seen that this corporation was expected to commence business on a paid up capital of $100. But one hundred dollars would not go very far toward building a railroad, and the fol- lowing petition will indicate the source whence it was expected to get some of the necessary aid :

"To the Hon. the County Court of Louisa Co.:

"The undersigned, your Petitioners, would respectfully ask that you submit to a vote of the people the question of Louisa Co. taking stock in the Phila- delphia, Fort Wayne & Platte River Air Line Railroad Company, to the am't. of i Hundred Thousand Dollars, believing such investment would be for the best interests of the Co., and we humbly ask your Honor to submit the question to vote as soon as may be practicable.

(Signed) "John Bell, Jr., John Bird, Samuel Townsend, S. M. Kirkpatrick, H. T. Cleaver,

Board directors Philadelphia. Fort Wayne & Platte River Air Line Railroad Co.

"A. M. Taylor, Dennis Williams, Joseph Thomas."

The endorsement on the back of this petition is as follows:

The within submitted this 30th day of July, 1853,

W. Williams, County Judge."

After a spirited campaign an election was held on Saturday. September 3, 1853, to pass upon the proposed subscription of $100,000 in aid of this railroad. It seems that the sponsors of the project had been able to satisfy a majority of the people in all but two of the seven townships in the county. The proposition was carried by a vote of 619 for to 230 against. Wapello and Jefferson town- ships were unanimous for it, and there were fair majorities in Florence, Grand- view and Columbus City townships, while Concord and Oakland townships were practically unanimous against it.

So far as the records show, nothing seems to have been done in the "air line" business until August 11, 1855, at which time, as appears by a notice filed in the county judge's office, the directors of the company met at Wapello and formally located the Philadelphia, Fort Wayne & Platte River Air Line Railroad through Louisa county.

The next thing was to begin the construction of the road, and this was done with much ceremony and flourish of trumpets, on Saturday, September 29, 1855. History says that it was a cold, disagreeable morning, unfavorable for the be- ginning of any enterprise, but notwithstanding this, the people came flocking into

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 219

town from almost every direction, and at one o'clock a large crowd assembled in front of the court house, formed in a procession, with the Virginia Grove brass band at their head, and marched out west of town to a point on the lands now owned by Dr. and Mrs. Woodruff. Sheriff A. M. Taylor was marshal of the day, and the following was the order of procession : First, Virginia Grove brass band ; second, speakers of the day, being Dr. John Bell, L. P. Wells and E. Hurd, at that time chief engineer of the road ; third, board of directors of the Iowa division; fourth, corps of engineers with their instruments; fifth, invited guests in carriages ; sixth, citizens and strangers in carriages ; seventh, horse- men. The procession moved down Main street to Clinton street, down Clinton to Second, up Second to Merchant, and out Merchant street to the point of breaking ground.

Arriving at the appointed place, the directors stepped forward, each taking his station opposite his respective wheelbarrow, and seizing his respective shovel, prepared to throw dirt. The first shovelful was raised by Dr. H. T. Cleaver, which exercise was of course preceded by music by the band. Next Dr. Bell mounted his wheelbarrow, or undertook to, but impartial history says that both the Doctor and the wheelbarrow were upset. Dr. Bell made a second attempt, however, and was more successful, and delivered his speech. Then the work was commenced in earnest and ground was broken upon the great Air Line railroad in Iowa. A box was deposited in the earth, containing a plate, upon which was inscribed: "Philadelphia, Fort Wayne & Platte River Air Line Railroad, Sep- tember 29, 1855, E. Hurd, Engineer," together with a glass jar containing a scroll on which was written the names of the directors of the road, with a brief statement of its history up to date.

This exercise was followed by another piece of music, and then L. P. Wells, editor of the Wapello Intelligencer delivered the oration of the day, which was received with great enthusiasm. Mr. Wells gave a short history of the road, spoke of the troubles through which it had passed, the neglect and contumely that had been shown it and the constant cry of humbug that had been raised against it, but he was proud that all difficulties had been overcome and that now the road was in as good condition as any in the country. Mr. Hurd, the chief engineer, then made a few remarks telling of the progress of the road through Illinois, promising its early completion to the Mississippi river and the speedy completion of the forty miles west of the Mississippi. The procession then marched back to the court house to partake of a dinner that had been prepared by the good ladies of Wapello. From an article in the Mount Pleasant Observer, whose editor was present, we quote the following extract to show how it was looked upon by out- siders: "We visited Wapello the latter part of last week in order to witness the breaking of ground on the Philadelphia, Fort Wayne & Platte Valley Rail- road, which came off at that place on last Saturday. It was evident during the forenoon that a large crowd would be in attendance, for from all quarters came wagons, buggies and horses carrying people into town. Delegations were present from Marshall, Brighton, Washington, Lancaster and Indianola."

Then after giving a brief account of the exercises, the Mount Pleasant paper proceeds as follows: "Mr. Chase, of St. Louis, has the contract for building forty miles of this road west of the Mississippi. He is to complete the road, put on ten first class engines and rolling stock in proportion, at $23,000 per mile.

■220 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

There has been two routes surveyed west — one running via Marshall, in this county, then to Brighton, and from thence westward to Council Bluffs. If the road should go to Marshall it will pass along the northern line of this county, thus adding increased facilities and wealth to Henry county. The citizens of Wapello are awake on railroad matters and express a willingness to vote stock to the Keokuk. Mount Pleasant and .Muscatine Railroad, whenever called for. Wapello is finely situated on the west bank of the Iowa river; considerable im- provement is going on. Her railroad prospects are giving an impetus to trade and causing an advance in real estate. The town contains about a thousand in- habitants, has a large and handsome court house and a number of churches. She lacks good hotels — the complaint was general in this respect. We would not, how- ever, complain, for we were kindly invited and enjoyed the hospitalities of Dr. Cleaver during our stay there. The celebration was a fine affair and will long be remembered by the people. It appears to be a fixed fact now that the Air Line railroad will be built."

This project was looked upon with favor by people outside the state ami away from its proposed route. A correspondent in the Missouri Republican, over the signature of Uno, published an article about this time, from which we make a few extracts: "By articles of association filed with the secretary of state for the state of Iowa, in the month of February, 1853, this company (re- tering to the Air Line company ) is fully empowered to construct a railroad from the Mississippi river, opposite Xew Boston, through Wapello to Council Bluffs. This is the Iowa portion of that great road, which, on account of its air line pecu- liarities, turning neither to the right nor to the left fur any consideration, is con- sidered the shortest road, even from Philadelphia to Sacramento City, the dis- tance from Philadelphia to Council Bluffs by this line surveyed and located all the way, being only 1,242 miles, while the distance from New York to Sacra- mento by this route is stated as 3.108 miles — the distance from Council Bluffs to Sacramento being estimated at 1,829 miles. . . . This railroad from the

Atlantic ocean to Nebraska territory. — an air line more than half the way — has been viewed by the people of St. Louis as a visionary scheme, but when they hear that one of the contractors of our Pacific railroad, L. Thompson, com- menced building one of the divisions from Lacon, in Illinois, early last July, and that Mr. Levi Chase, another and heavy contractor, on our Pacific railroad, who completed our railroad to Herman last August, — eighty-one miles — and who is now finishing his contract so that the road will be pushed on to Jefferson city, one hundred and twenty-five miles, next month; when they hear that he has taken the contract to build the eastern division of this Iowa road, beginning on the Iowa river at Wapello, and working both ways, east and west, at once, they may be sure that solid men have taken hold of the Air Line route of Iowa."

At this time Francis Springer was county judge, having succeeded Wright

Williams nearly a year before. It is a part of the unwritten history of the county that Judge Springer, although many of the promoters of this road were warm personal friends of his, did not have much faith in the project, and after he succeeded to the county judgeship he was approached as to his attitude in the matter of the issuance of the proposed bonds, which had been previously author- ized by a vote of the people, and he expressed the opinion that if the bonds were issued there should be a proviso in them making their payment conditioned upon

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 221

the construction of the railroad, and he declared that he would not issue them without such a provision, unless clearly convinced that such was the desire of the people of the county.

We find on the county court records under date of December 10. 1855, a proclamation for a vote of the people of the county on the question of subscribing $50,000 to the capital stock of the Keokuk, .Mount Pleasant & Muscatine Rail- road Company, the election to be held on January 12. 1856. Toward the close of this proclamation is the following clause : "The adoption of the above proposi- tion will be considered an expression of the opinion of the people of the county in favor of authorizing a subscription to the Philadelphia, Fort Wayne & Platte River Air Line Railroad Company, which was voted on the 3d of September,

I8S3-"

The insertion of this last clause gave great offense to all the friends of the

Air Line project. Plow- it was looked upon by some may be gathered from the following communication, which was published in the Wapello Intelligencer of January I. 1856: "It is a custom in all countries governed by constitutional au- thorities, for the rulers to give an account of their actions to the governed, when- ever called upon, and those rulers who do not explain to the satisfaction of the governed, any or all of their actions, are looked upon as acting despotically. In the columns of your paper is a proclamation, calling upon the citizens of this county to vote upon a question upon which they have already given a very de- cisive voice. A large and respectable portion of the voters of Louisa county would like to have Mr. Francis Springer's reasons for submitting the question anew, as to whether the county shall take stock in the Philadelphia, Fort Wayne & Platte River Railroad. You may rest assured, Air. Editor, that a large portion of the voters of the county feel outraged by the latter clause in the proclamation. Perhaps 'Mr. Springer would favor us through your columns with the reasons for his actions in the premises. It is an old axiom that 'the salve must be as broad as the sore.' "

The attitude of Judge Springer on the subject of issuing Air Line railroad bonds was a matter of extended comment and rather exciting debate all over the county, and it is said that at one time while he was holding county court here, an immense throng of people attended the session of court and were very excited and demonstrative in urging the issuance of the bonds. The writer well remem- bers to have heard from the lips of the then county judge that he did not issue the bonds until he had been presented with petitions signed by a respectable majority of the legal voters of the county, including many of the largest prop- erty owners and most prominent citizens ; but in subsequent years the fact that such petitions were ever presented, has been doubted by men who were supposed to be quite well informed about such things. It was with some satisfaction, therefore, that we found these petitions with the signatures attached (some nine hundred and seventy-one names), and we append herewith as a necessary part of the history of this transaction a copy of one of the petitions, with the names of some of the leading signers.

To the Hon. Francis Springer, County Judge of Louisa County, Iowa.

The Undersigned, voters of Louisa County, having understood that, from the recent vote upon the proposition to subscribe Stock, you did not feel authorized

222 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

to take the stock in the Philadelphia. Fort Wayne and Platte River Air Line Railroad, we would respectfully request you to subscribe said Stock, authorized by the vote September 3rd 1853: Win, J. R. Flack, T. W. Bailey, Alanson F. Bemis, Edward B. Isett, John M. Brown, Jesse Yanhorn, James Davison, J. S. Marshall, John R. Sisson, James Cummings, Franklin Griswold, John N. Bald- rige, T. R. J. Ellis, Wm. Kemp, J. C. Stirlen, Jerry Browning, Forgay Owens, R. S. Strong, Y. Willoughby. John Hurley, Henry Marsden, H. P. May, James F. Patton, Robert Coulter, Oliver Benton, Win. T. Nichols, lames H. Marshall, Joseph Higbee, J. B. Nichols. Joseph Bates, J. T. Cowles, John Keck, J. C. Tucker, J. L. Browning, William Shoop, James Keever, Jeremiah Smith, John Hays, Thomas G. Taylor, E. Keach, W. A. Knowlton, John L. Sweeney, Wiley Gregory, Samuel Jamison, Harvey Bell, John Deihl, George Jamison, John R. Springsteen. Samuel Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton, Mark Davison, Henry Myerholz, James Brogan, William Clark. Wm. Shipman, Francis Wykert. Amzi Donaldson, Henry Thompson, Dennis Williams, C. W. Bras, George L. Coe, Wm. L. Toole, George H. Mosier. T. M. Parsons. G. W. Wesley. John Hale, George Grasham, Ephrani Owens, S. K. Helmick. H. Hawkins. John ('.riffith, John Morgan. 1 ). W. 1 lerrick, Thomas Newell, A. D. Hurley, Peter Lambert, George Presbury, James R. McDaniel, J. M. Herrick, Francis Curran, William Brogan, John M. Wilson, George Yanhorn, Oliver Mickey, S. B. Cleaver, B. H. Druse, Samuel Barr, Fredrick Weber, John Allison, G. F. Thomas, Wil- liam Keach, George Nearhood, R. E. Archibald, J. R. Kinsey, John Jenkins, John Sprinkle. James A. Fleming, J. H. Trask, Nathaniel J. Ives, C. Morgan, M. Jamison, William Jamison, James Semple, John P. Walker, George Hutchison, Abram McCleary, Thomas Fleming, Samuel Duncan, George Key, S. G. Black- born, B. F. Wright, F. M. Ong. W. J. Hewitt, O. A. Taylor, J. B. Miller, Frank- lin Bras, D. N. Sprague. J. H. Graham. Ozias Smith, Aug. Wehmier, James Sterrett, Samuel Chaney. A. M. Taylor, H. McClurkin, R. Archibald, W. B. Robison, Dennis Gregory, Chas. Downs, Royal Prentiss, Lewis Kinsey, J. B. Latta, George Beck, Andrew Brockert, David Grimes, William H. Creighton, Richard Staige, Robert Gillis. John Pluff, J. D. Barr, Samuel Bell, Levi Wood- ruff, L. P. Wells, A. Hodge, W. H. Milligan. Wm. Owens, Merit Jamison, Ernst Winter, J. B. Grubb, W. J. Ronalds. PI. T. Cleaver, H. C. Blake, James Drake, J. G. Umphreys. John A. Brown, A. P. Hensleigh, R. W. Gray. Hugh Paisley, John L. Foor. V. Massie, M. P. Yanhorn. Joshua Marshall. Joseph Mickey, Levi Bozman, Jesse Hamilton. John Stafford. H. H. Mickey. D. P. Curran, Jno. Bell. Oliver Ball, Parkis Woodruff, Gustavus Jones, Thomas Stoddard, Alfred Limbocker, Joseph Storey, John Bird, II. Christy, Joseph B. McDill, James Blanchard, T. A. Ball, Kennedy Storey. G. B. Williams, G. A. Plook, Harmon Mallory, Willard Mallory. Harvey Harris, Henry Jennings, Barton Jones, Joseph Paschal, Jos. L. Derbin. J. W. Isett, Wm. McClemm, John Reed, Elias Marshal, John Le Cornu, James Crawford, John Milligan, Abiathur Williams, Wilson R. Woodruff, P. C. Brown, David Woodruff, Zebina Williams. B. P. Weston, George I^ngland, Gideon Bayne. J. S. Hurley, Christian Heins. Joseph Schofield, Jacob Mintun, Jesse Graham, David McMichael. James 1). Martin. Stephen McKinley. Thomas Garvin, H. J. N. Parsons. Joseph P. Parsons, Jacob Syphrit, John Ken- nedy, G. Ii. Crow, B. F. Coe, H. J. McCormick. John Dill, David McKinley.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 223

The election on the question of subscribing $50,000 to the Keokuk &c. rail- road enterprise, was held on January 12th, 1856, and it was found that the re- turns from Wapello, Morning Sun, Oakland, and Union townships did not meet the legal requirements. By throwing out these four townships, the proposition would be carried by 27 votes; by counting these townships, it would be defeated by 30. The county judge solved the difficulty by again submitting the question to the people, and it was carried.

From about 1850 to 1858 several counties in Iowa issued their bonds in aid of railroad building, exchanging these bonds for a like amount of stock in the railway enterprise. The question of the validity of these bonds was not long finding its way into the courts. One of the early cases, perhaps the first one, was that of Dubuque County vs. The Dubuque & Pacific Railroad Corn- pan}', reported in 4 Greene, p. 1. This decision held that the bonds were valid obligations against the county : it was followed by some six or seven more similar cases, decided the same way, the last one of these being a Johnson county case, decided in 1859, and reported in the 10th Iowa, p. 157. In the latter case, and in most of the others, there was a marked division of opinion among the Supreme Court judges, and some strong dissenting opinions were rendered. In 1862, in a case from Wapello County, the Iowa Supreme Court took a differ- ent view, and reversed its former line of cases, and held that the county bonds in aid of railroads were invalid, and they continued to hold to that view as to all bonds issued during the period we are considering. But, about 1863 a case reached the Supreme Court of the United States, involving these same questions, as to bonds of the city of Dubuque, which had been issued and sold under the sanction of the first decisions of our court, holding such bonds to be valid. The United States Supreme Court followed the earlier decisions of our Supreme Court, and held the bonds to be valid, and that court continued to hold the same day as to all such bonds which were issued and sold under the authority and sanction of the first decisions of our court.

Then came the question as to paying the bonds, and as to the power and authority of the State and Federal courts in the matter, as to how in case the Federal courts proved to be the more powerful, they would go about it to have the judgments paid.

On January 26, 1856, it is recorded that the board of directors of the Air Line company applied for the county subscription of $100,000, and desired to have their application considered in connection with sundry petitions, and we may presume that the sundry petitions were those to which we have already referred. At that time it was ordered that the further consideration of the appli- cation be continued until the next regular term of the court and that the con- tractors be requested to furnish the court with a certified copy of any contracts they had made for the construction of the road and an official statement of the actual available means of said company.

There seems to have been, about this time, a very good list of signers to a petition asking the county judge not to issue the Air Line bonds. There are two of these petitions among the old papers of this date. They are not in very good condition and some of the names can hardly be distinguished. The prime mover in getting them up seems to have been J. B. Latta. Sr., and these petitions con- tain one hundred and sixtv-one names, chieflv from Grandview and Concord

■2-2i HISTORY ( >F LOUISA COUNTY

townships. We cannot tell from anything in the records of the county court nor in the tile- which are still preserved, just what showing the Air Line com- pany made to the county court in reference to its available assets and the contract it had made for the construction of the line in this county, but it is to be pre- sumed that they made some showings which satisfied the county judge of their good faith in the matter. We find that on February 25, 1856. Air Line bonds for $1,000 each, numbered from one to ten, inclusive, were issued, signed by Francis Springer, county judge, and by Lewis Kinsey, county clerk, and that thereafter, from time to time, during the year of 1857, the remainder of the $100,000 subscription was taken and bonds issued therefor. As these bonds figure extensively in subsequent Air Line history, we give herewith a facsimile of bond No. 43. with two of the coupons still attached. We also give a fac- simile of the endorsement made upon the back of this bond, signed by Robert Schenck, president, and Lewis Kinsey, secretary.

About this time congress was making land grants in favor of various rail- wax enterprise^ and had some few years before made a very valuable land grant in favor of the Mississippi & .Missouri Railroad Company, which was built through this county and is now known as the Rock Island, and the friends of the Air Line project had presented a petition to congress in 1854 praying for a grant of land in aid of its construction. This matter was up in congress, and seems, according to the files of the Wapello Intelligencer, to have been opposed or at least sadly neglected by one of our Iowa senators, Hon. George W. Jones, of Dubuque. An idea of the progress of the work may be gained from the fol- lowing article in the Wapello Intelligencer of July 29, 1856: "We understand Levi Chase, the contractor on the above named road, has gone east to purchase a locomotive, iron, and the various implements necessary for the completion of the same. The work is progressing as rapidly as the most sanguine could expect, although it is difficult to get hands to stand up to the work this hot weather. Today we walked clown First street, to where they were digging away for the hutment of the river bridge. Having removed several feet, per- haps fifteen, of soil and sand, they came to solid blue clay which goes down to the bed of the river and we do not know how much further. They had dug down about eight feet in the clay, wdiere they were making a smooth surface, on which the immense piles of huge stones that covered the ground for acres around, were to be laid. The masons are to commence laying the stone this week wdio, by the way, will have a most interesting time handling those monster stones, some of which are nearly as large as an Irish shanty."

The interest in the Air Line project was by no means confined to Louisa countv. It excited a great deal of interest in many of the counties west of here, especially in Washington. Mahaska and as far out as Warren county. Canvasses were made and meetings were held in its interest during the spring and summer of 1856. One held at Indianola about this time will serve as a sample of others. Resolutions were adopted expressing deep interest in the speedy construction of the Philadelphia, Fort Wayne & Platte Yalley Air Line Railroad, and expressing the belief that it was the only road which proposed to pass through Warren county and favoring a proposition that the county judge should take S100.000 stock in the road and calling for a meeting to lie held of

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HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 225

the citizens of the whole county at some future date and of preliminary meet- ings looking toward securing a full attendance.

About this time the town of Burris, which was to be the starting point of the Air Line railroad on this side of the Mississippi, began to assume some pro- portions. The history of that town will be found elsewhere, as it probably de- serves a small chapter by itself.

On February 28th a meeting was held at Wapello "for the purpose of fur- thering a project of the utmost importance to Wapello, Burris City, the county of Louisa, and the whole country west of Louisa county. Levi Chase, the con- tractor, stated, in response to a request, that the county bonds issued to the company had been taken by him and the money advanced upon them and ex- pended upon the work, and that $100,000 in money, or its equivalent, would en- able him to grade the road and secure its completion from the Mississippi river to a point some five miles west of Wapello. On motion of Dr. Cleaver, a com- mittee of three, including Dr. Cleaver, John Corson and E. Foster, was appointed to wait upon the mayor of Wapello and the council and solicit them to order an election on a proposition to aid the Air Line railroad, and Samuel Townsend, Leonard Sawyer and Ambrose Key were appointed a committee to confer with the citizens of Burris City in regard to obtaining a subscription from them for the same proposition. We find in the Wapello Intelligencer of March 31, 1857, a little item to the effect that the proposition for the city of Wapello to sub- scribe $20,000 stock to the Philadelphia, Fort Wayne & Platte River Air Line railroad had been submitted to a vote of the citizens on the Saturday previous, being the 28th, and that the vote on the question was 124 in favor of the sub- scription and one against it. In the same paper also we find a statement of the financial condition of the Air Line company, which will be of interest in this con- nection, and states a number of facts which we do not find recorded anywhere else. It will be noticed that the private subscription collected in Louisa county at that date is stated at $26,986, and that the "assets for Louisa county" were stated to be $10,335.30, or just $335.30 more than the amount of the ten bonds recently issued by the county judge :

"stock account.

"Amount stock subscribed by Louisa county $100,000.00

Amount private stock in Louisa county 42,400.00

Amount by Levi Chase, on contract 25,000.00

Amount Washington county subscription 50,000.00

Amount private stock in Washington county 25,000.00

Total subscription $242,400.00

AMOUNT OF STOCK COLLECTED.

Of Louisa county, in bonds $100,000.00

Of Washington county, in bonds 5,000.00

On private subscription, Washington county 2,000.00

On private subscription, Louisa county 26,986.00

Total amount collected $133,986.00

Vol. I— 1 5

226 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

ASSETS.

Amount of unpaid Washington county stock $ 45,000.00

Amount of unpaid Washington private subscription 23,000.00

Amount of unpaid Louisa county 15.414.00

Amount Washington county bonds in the hands of R. C. Schenck, the

president, to be sold on account 5.000.00

Amount Louisa county bonds in the hands of Levi Chase, to be sold,

to apply on the payment of company's notes, given him for cash. . 29,000.00

Amount Chase's subscription on contract 25,000.00

Amount Louisa county bonds in hands of S. Townsend, to be sold to

pay for money advanced by him 5,000.00

Total assets $147,414.00

LIABILITIES.

For bills payable to Levi Chase $30,869.45

For retained percentage 25,983.64

For bills payable to engineers 1,275.61

For bills payable on sundry accounts 8,000.00

Total liabilities $69,078.70

AMOUNT OF MONTHLY ESTIMATES TO DECEMBER I, 1 856.

For grading and ties $i 10,922.02

For bridging 18,996.20

Total $129,918.22

Less 20 per cent, retained percentage 25,983.64

$103,934.58

Amount paid for right of way 2,546.50

Amount paid for engineering 1 1,999.07

Amount paid for incidental expenses • 8,091.30

Total estimates $126,571.35

RECAPITULATION.

Total amount of assets $147,414.00

Total amount of liabilities 69,078.70

Balance to company's credit $ 78,335.30

Deduct Washington county unpaid stock 68,000.00

Leaves assets for Louisa county $ 10,335.30

W. C. Wilson, March 31, 1857 Secretary."

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 227

It was found, however, that more money would be needed, and steps were taken which resulted in the calling of an election to be held on May 16, 1857, to vote upon the question of the county subscribing $100,000 in addition to the amount subscribed originally.

The petition asking the county court to order this election was signed by 490 taxpayers, which was considerable more than the number required by law> in order to compel the submission of the question. We give below the tables of the vote by townships on the question of this additional $100,000 subscription :

Township For Against

Elm Grove 17 15

Eliot 26 7

Columbus City 31 286

Concord o 89

Grandview 13 175

Jefferson ■ 267 4

Marshall 71 7

Morning Sun 56 48

Oakland o 53

Port Louisa 20 78

Union o 63

Wapello 425 6

Total 926 831

The records of the county court show that this vote was canvassed by Francis Springer, county judge, and James C. Stirlen and Jacob Mintun, justices of the peace, and that they considered the returns from the townships of Con- cord, Marshall and Wapello to be defective but did not think proper to reject them and that thereupon N. M. Letts and Micajah Reeder, tax payers and voters of the county gave notice that they would contest said election.

Jefferson township cast 271 votes at this election, while at the election held just about one month previous, the highest vote cast on any state or county office was ill, and in August following, when the new constitution was sub- mitted, the total vote on that question was 94, being 73 for it and 21 against it. History does not say whether these 150 extra voters came from New Boston or "Bogus Island," or whether they merely failed to come out at previous and subsequent elections.

In accordance with the notice of the contest, a number of the prominent citizens who were opposed to the additional subscription for the Air Line, con- tested the election held on May 16th, employing Henry O'Connor, of Musca- tine, and Charles H. Phelps, of Burlington, and they were successful.

About this time a new railroad project came into vogue, being known as the Iowa Union Railroad Company, which was proposed to run from Iowa City southeasterly through Oakland township, crossing the Iowa about at Todd's Ferry. According to the map which was used at that day, it would seem that this Iowa Union road was to connect with the Keokuk, Mount Pleasant & Muscatine railroad near where Columbus Junction now is. On this map the

228 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

latter road is shown as extending north and south through Marshall and Colum- bus City townships, running a little west of the old William Helmick farm in Marshall township. Jt seems that the Air Line advocates and the Iowa Union advocates combined forces, for on June 22, 1857, we find that petitions signed by more than one-fourth of the voters of the county were presented to the county judge, asking him to submit at the August election the question whether the county would subscribe $100,000 to the Air Line Railroad Company, and also whether it would subscribe $100,000 to the Iowa Union Railroad Com- pany, and in accordance with the provisions of law these two questions were submitted to the people and voted on, on Monday, August 3, 1857. The first proposition carried by 717 to 639, and the second carried by 709 to 592. The same men who had so successfully contested the election of May 16th, also contested the one of August 3d and the following item taken from the Wapello Intelligencer of September 24, 1857, sufficiently states the result of the contest and the points decided: "The injunction upon the issue of the bonds of this county to the Air Line and Union railroads was granted by the supreme court in full bench, on the 10th inst. The ground fur the injunction was the illegality of issuing count)' bonds for a greater amount than $50,000 under the new con- stitution. The points held by the court were, first, that although the stock was subscribed, the bonds were not issued prior to the adoption of the new constitu- tion, and a debt of more than the above amount could not be created; second, that the vote in favor of the loans did not create the debt until the issue of the bonds by the count}' judge, whose official act alone, as agent of the county, made the loans binding."

So far as we have been able to discover, this case was not officially reported ; but from a statement in the paper it was probably decided under Section 3, Article 11, of the constitution, which was adopted upon the same day that the subscription was voted, it being the clause that prohibits any county or other political municipal corporation from becoming indebted for an amount exceed- ing five per cent on the amount of taxable property thereof.

YVe have been unable to find anything which definitely states just how long after this injunction the work w:as continued on the Air Line road, but it was, probably discontinued within a few months thereafter. Mr. Chase, the con tractor, and John Bird and some others recovered judgments against the Air Line company in May, 1858. These suits were begun in Louisa county and transferred to Des Moines county for trial. Some light is thrown upon the matter by the proceedings of arbitration between Levi Chase and the Air Line company, which were had under an agreement dated September 20, 1859, whereby the railroad company and Levi Chase agreed to submit to Judge Thomas W. Newman. H. II. Ilawley and Fritz Henry Warren as arbitrators all matters of difference between them, arising from or growing out of the contracts be- tween them for building a certain portion of the road of said company in Louisa and Washington counties. By a subsequent agreement Judge T. C. Hall was substituted for H. H. Hawley as one of the arbitrators, and on February 23, 1861, the arbitrators filed their decision as follows:

"To the Hon: District Court of Louisa County, State of Iowa:

"The undersigned arbitrators chosen by Levi Chase and the Philadelphia. Fort Wayne & Platte River Air Line Rail Road Company lo hear and decide

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 229

certain disputes and differences existing between said parties growing out of certain contracts for the construction of a portion of a certain Rail Road therein named all of which will more fully appear by the articles of submission hereto attached and marked exhibit A, would respectfully report, that they caused due notice of the time and place of hearing the matters submitted, to be given to said parties, and in accordance therewith the arbitrators and each of the paries (parties) litigant appeared at the office of Hall, Harrington & 1 Iall in the City of Burlington, Des Moines County, State of Iowa, the said Chase in person and the said R. R. Company by Samuel Townsend, president of said company and Charles H. Phelps and D. N. Sprague, his attorneys, and in the presence of both of said parties the said arbitrators were duly sworn and qualified to perform their duties as arbitrators under said submission.

"Both parties expressing their readiness to proceed to the trial in said cause and no objection appearing we proceeded to hear said matters in dispute, and the same proceeded with the hearing of testimony until the evening of the 20th of Februarv. A. D. 1861, and adjouned until the next morning at 9 o'clock. We met again at the appointed time and place and proceeded with the investiga- tion of the matters and things in dispute from day to day until the 23rd of Feby., 1861, and having heard the testimony submitted, and the argument of parties and their counsel, and fully considered the evidence find the following, to wit, that there was a full settlement of said parties made August 7, 1857, for work, labor, &c, &c, under said contracts in evidence, except as to work done on abandoned line.

"We find that at the time of said settlement and prior thereto there was due said Chase on notes & interest & on labor, &c. performed since said settlement & on percentage reserved by the R. R. Company under the contract. . .$57903.15 Also damages from breach of contract, less work on abandoned line. . 57156.27

Total- anit. due Chase . . • . .$115,059.42

exculsive (exclusive) of Judgements in District Court

"We find that said Chase has recvd of the company since settlements marie

August 7, 1857, as follows:

Sundry collections of stock due the company on Sub &

interest on same $5,192.91

Proceeds of 15 Louisa Co. Bonds sold at 45 cts. on $ and

interest 8,887.50

2 Louisa Co. Bonds at $1,000 each and interest on same. . . . 2,500.00 Stock of Co'y. recvd on contract 3,500.00

$20,079.51

Net amt. due Chase on general account to date $94,979.91

"We also find that the R. R. Company is entitled to a

credit of $ 9500.00

and interest on same to date of May f>, '58 — for County

Bonds ( 19) sold [305.50

Total $10,805.50

230 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

which credit should be applied on Judgement in D Court of Des Moines County, Iowa, in case of J. Bird vs. said Company, for $13,770.54 rendered May 6, 1858, and made as of the date of the judgement leaving due on said jdmt. May 6, '58, balance of $2,965.04, which was then the true amt. due on same.

"We also find that there should be a credit on Judgement of Levi Chase vs. said Company for the sum of amts. of stock, &c. collected for the company & int. on same to May 6, '58, $734.80, which credit is to be on judgement in Des Moines Co. Dist. Court rendered May 6, '58, for $12,703.05 — leaving balance due May 6, '58, — to said Chase on same, $11,968.25.

"From which finding we hereby make and report the following award, to wit, that said Philadelphia, Fort Wayne & Platte River Air Line Rail Road Company is justly owing and indebted to Levi Chase from the evidence seen & heard the sum of Ninety-four thousand Nine hundred and seventy-nine Dollars and ninety-one cents ($94.1)711.1)1), exculsive (exclusive) of the judgements he has against said Company above referred to, and to draw ten per cent interest from this date. We also award that credits be duly entered on the judgements which said Chase holds against said company according to the aforesaid finding to bear date of May 6, 1858.

"We also award that each of said parties litegant pa}' one-half of the costs of this arbitration — There being none claimed except our fees for services 4 days at 21$ per day — $84.00, which is the amt. agreed by the parties in the submission, February 23, t86i. J. C. Hall,

T. W. Newman, Fitz Henry Warren,

Arbitrators."

So ended the great Air Line railroad project; which was intended to make (and doubtless would had it succeeded) of Wapello one of the leading cities in the state and an important station on a great thoroughfare between Phila- delphia and the Pacific coast. Put with the death of the Air Line the $100,000 bonds issued did not die. Their payment, however, became a live question along about 1868, at which time numerous suits were commenced against the county in the federal courts to enforce the payment of the bonds and the coupons. This railroad bond question in which so many of the counties of the state were interested, had already brought about a sharp and decisive conflict between the decisions of the courts of this state and the federal courts, and furnishes one of the most interesting chapters in the legal history of this state. In the early decisions of the supreme court of Iowa on this subject it had been held by a divided court that the counties of the state had a constitutional right to issue bonds in aid of railroad enterprises, but in December, 1859, the court settled the matter so far as this state was concerned by holding the issuance of such bonds to be beyond the power of the county and declaring the bonds them- selves to be void. Shortly after this latter decision a suit was commenced in the district court of this county to enjoin the supervisors from levying a tax for the purpose of paying these bonds. The court granted the injunction and made it perpetual. Relying upon this injunction for their protection and being backed up by an almost overwhelming sentiment of the people, the board of supervisors refused to pay the judgments rendered in the federal court and in consequence

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 231

of that refusal the federal court issued a writ of mandamus, ordering the board to levy taxes for the payment of the judgments against the county. Still the hoard refused and the United States marshal arrested the members of the board for con- tempt in failing to levy the taxes in accordance with the writ of the federal court. Members of the board at that time were Benjamin Jennings, Elm Grove township ; H. C. Blake, Morning Sun : J. Q. Buffington, Columbus City township; John Deihl, Wapello township; Henry A. Keyes, Oakland township; Richard S. Strong, Jefferson township; Robert Carson, Union township; James R. Letts, Grand- view township; F. F. Kiner, Marshall township; S. A. McDaniel, Concord township; Levi Stephen, Port Louisa township; and P. D. Bailey, Eliot town- ship. The members of the board were taken to Des Moines and required to give bond in the sum of $500 each for their appearance before the United States court at its October term, 1869. The legislature in 1868 had passed an act intended to provide the way for the counties owing railroad bond debts to settle them, and negotiations were carried on with the attorneys for the bondholders looking toward some sort of a compromise. In November, 1869, the board of supervisors ordered a special election for December 29th following, upon the question "Shall the county of Louisa settle' its debts owing on bonds and coupons, issued to aid in the construction of the Philadelphia, Fort Wayne & Platte River Air Line railroad." This was to be done under the act approved April 2, 1868, before referred to. This election brought on a heated controversy which will be fairly understood by reading some of the various communications and editorials found in the newspapers of that time.

Andrew Gamble, who was a member of the board of supervisors in 1869, but not a member at the time the board was placed under arrest, had come to the conclusion, very reluctantly, that there was no way to prevent the payment of these bonds, and he was very anxious that the county should take advantage of the act of the legislature authorizing a settlement by the issuance of new obligations, and he addressed the following communication to the taxpayers and voters of the county: "Fellow Citizens: Doubtless you are all aware that sundry persons have obtained judgment in the Circuit Court of the LTnited States against this county, amounting in the aggregate to about seventy-five thousand dollars. These judgments all draw interest at the rate of seven per cent from the date of their rendition, and were all obtained on the coupons of the bonds issued to the Philadelphia, Fort Wayne & Platte River Air Line Railroad. At the late called session of the Board of Supervisors of the county, a tax of eighteen mills on the dollar of all the taxable property of the county was levied to aid in paying off these judgments. This amount with the previous levy for state, county, school, road, and other purposes, swells the aggregate of your taxes this year to very nearly if not quite four per cent of all your taxable property! and presents to every taxpayer in the county this serious question: How is this tax to be paid? Can we pay it? There is in my opinion but one answer to these questions, and that is, practice strict economy and re- solve to do it, even if it costs some sacrifice. It were worse. than useless for you or me to indulge in invectives and criminations against the holders of this class of our indebtedness, or those who, by their votes, brought this burden upon us. Suffice it to say we have for years fought these creditors of the county from the lowest to the highest of our state courts, and today it is but

232 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

poor consolation for them to tell us as they do in the Lee county habeas corpus case, that, although these bonds were issued contrary to law and are therefore null and void, yet when we get into the United States courts they have no power to help us. This debt is a lien upon every foot of land in Louisa county, and, much as we may dislike to do it, it will have to be paid, and in my humble opinion the sooner this is done the better it will be for us and for the county. T hear some persons say that they will pay all their other taxes but refuse to pay this. A more unwise or impolitic course could not well be devised by the worst enemies of the county. It is the same old song that has been sung over and over again until we are brought to the very brink of ruin, or what is worse, repudiation. When these bonds were first issued we commenced paying the taxes on them, and had we continued to do so, all would have been well : but in an evil hour we, almost with one accord, refused to pay, under what now proves to be the delusive hope that we could avoid the payment of principal and interest altogether. Xow every one regrets that such a course was taken, and realizes how easily he could have paid his proportion yearly. Xow a por- tion of the people proposes to remedy the error we then committed by doing the same thing over again. Again, it is well known to everybody that a few years ago we could have bought up our entire indebtedness at less than fifty cents on the dollar, but those in authority refused to do so, and the people backed them in their refusal. In the meantime we have paid the lawyers and the court officers several thousand dollars in fees, that had much better been applied to the extinguishment of the debt, yet today we find ourselves beaten at every point, and judgments against us to a large amount, which some feel unwilling and others unable to pay. I am asked daily on what terms our creditors are willing to compromise. To all such 1 can only say that whilst we continue to fight we cannot expect much in the way of compromise. If we propose to pay only at the tail end of an execution, we may as well and had better retain our self respect by asking no favors of any one. Xo, my friends, we must change our course of policy on this question if we would accomplish anything. We must pay this tax in good faith and the sooner we do it the better it will be for us, as by pursuing such a course we will convince our creditors that the fight is over and that we are willing to submit to the decision of the courts. By pursuing this course we shall also save all further expense of useless litigation and be able successfully to appeal to our creditors for an extension of time, should that be desirable. In conclusion, fellow citizens. I beg your pardon for volunteering to you this advice, but I could do no less under all the circumstances. Over sixteen years ago I counseled you through this same medium not to issue these bonds, but you disregarded my advice. You have a perfect right to do so again when I advise you to pay them."

And we find in some of the newspapers of that day vehement editorials against voting to settle the indebtedness. We take a few sentences from an article in the Wapello Republican of December 25. 1869: "We shall vote no. because we are unwilling to pay the whole of these railroad bonds and the accrued interest and because we do not wish to take any step that would look as though we were willing to pay them. The laws, justly interpreted, do not compel us, because the bonds were issued without the due sanction of law. and morals do not compel us because the railroads with whom we contracted failed to fulfill their part of the engagement, and because we received no equivalent

F. F. Killer, Levi Stevens, Robert Carson, P. D. Bailey, H. A. Keyes, J. R. Letts H. C. Blake, Richard Strong, S. A. McDaniel, John Diehl, J. Q. Buffington, Henry Jennings LOUISA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WHO WERE TAKEN TO DES MOINES IN THE FALL OF 1S6S BY THE UNITED STATES MARSHAL IN CON- NECTION WITH THE AIR LINE RAILROAD LITIGATION

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 233

for our money. Yet the bondholders want us to vote 'yes' and having adopted their compromise law they expect us to issue them new and valid bonds for their old and doubtful ones, with all the accrued interest."

In the litigation connected with the payment of these railroad bonds from beginning to end, the board of supervisors employed many able lawyers and did everything in their power to prevent the payment of the bonds. D. C. Cloud, of Muscatine, perhaps had more to do with the defense of these cases on the part of the county than any other one lawyer, and the following article from him, written to the Chicago Post, contains much interesting information and shows the position taken by the county at the time. We take Mr. Cloud's article from the Wapello Republican of December 26, 1869:

"As the attention of the public is at the present time somewhat engaged in discussing the apparently belligerent attitude of the people of those counties in the state of Iowa who issued their bonds to railroad companies, and as we are neither milliners nor secessionists, nor even repudiators, permit me to attempt to give what I understand to be our position. To do this intelligently, I must go back to the time of the issuing of the bonds. Prior to the year 1853 it was a question frequently discussed in all those parts of the state where the people expected railroads to be constructed, as to whether municipal corporations could aid in their construction. Most all those persons who pretended to any legal knowdedge contended that such power did not exist ; that it was expressly denied or withheld by the constitution of the state and that there was no statute author- izing it. About this time a case was made in Dubuque county, and report said that our supreme court had decided that the power existed under the constitu- tion, and that Section 114 of the Code of 1851 gave the corporations power to subscribe stock to railroad companies. I say report said so, for in fact 130 opinion was filed with the clerk of the court as provided by statute, nor was it ever seen until it appeared in 4th Greene's Reports, published in 1858. When this volume was published it contained an opinion by the majority of the court in favor of the authority. Nearly all of the bonds ever issued in this state were issued and negotiated before any opinion or decision was written, filed with the clerk of the court, or published ; consequently, those who took the bonds from the railroad companies did so upon mere report as to what the court had decided, and did not act upon any knowledge derived from an adjudication of the question involved ; in other words, they were not 'innocent purchasers.' I do not know fully the history of the issuing of these bonds, save in one or two counties. Louisa county subscribed $100,000 stock to the Philadelphia, Fort Wayne & Platte River Railroad Company in 1856, at a time when the nearest point upon which any work was being done on said road was at least two hundred miles distant. Yet in order to get possession of the bonds of this county, the company began work in the county, called for and got the bonds of the county as fast as they could, and so soon as they had got the full amount, suspended work, and until the present time have done nothing on the road. They disposed of the bonds for a small consideration (some as low as twenty- three cents to the dollar), and the county got nothing for them. The railroad company guaranteed the payment of principal and interest of the bonds, and put the proceeds in their pockets. Muscatine county issued bonds to the amount

234 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

of $150,000 to the Mississippi & Missouri Railroad Company in January, 1854, under the following circumstances: The company organized as a corporation under the laws of Iowa to build three divisions of their railroad in Iowa. The first division extended west from Davenport via Iowa City, the second from Muscatine west to the Missouri river, and the third extending from Muscatine to Cedar Rapids.

"The proposition whether the county should aid in the construction of the second and third divisions of this road by subscribing $150,000 stock was sub- mitted to the voters of the county in October, 1853, and the vote being in favor of the proposition, the county judge issued the bonds to the above amount. These bonds were issued and sold, upon the guarantee of the company, before any decision of the supreme court was written or filed, and did not upon their face refer either directly or indirectly to the authority under which they were issued to aid in the construction of the railroad. They simply recited that the county owed George C. Stone, or bearer, the sum of $1,000 (that being the amount of each bond) for money borrowed, and that the faith of the county was pledged for the payment of the interest and principal, as they matured, neither the second nor third divisions of the road were ever built, vet our bonds were taken and sold, and we are called upon to pay them.

"Many of the other counties were swindled as badly and some even worse than those above named.

"Owing to a diversity of opinion in the different courts, we have got into an unsettled state upon this bond question. The first decision of our state supreme court that was filed and published was the case of Clapp vs. Cedar county, 5 Iowa, page 15. In that case a majority of the court decided in favor of the validity of the bonds, because of the decision of the Dubuque case, but say they had not yet seen the opinion in the case ; but. as it had been decided, they would adhere to that decision, and, at the same time, state that the authortiy to sub- scribe stock to railroads was not conferred by Section 114 of the Code of Iowa (the section that Judge Greene when he published his fourth volume, decided did confer the power). This decision was made in 1857, and after most of the bonds of the different counties had been negotiated. Following this decision some three more were made of the same import in 1858 and 1859. All of these decisions were made by a divided court, one of the three judges (Judge Wright) dissenting. Following these decisions, commencing in 1859, the supreme court of this state rendered some six of seven decisions reversing former decisions, and deciding that the power did not exist under the constitution of the state, nor had the legislature enacted any law by which these municipal corporations could become stockholders in railroad companies. These decisions were made by a unanimous court, and have become the fixed and settled law of the state, and were made before the question was passed upon by the United States su- preme court. The case of Gelpeke vs. the City of Dubuque (1st Wallace, page 1751. is the first in which the United States courts decided adversely to the decisions of our state courts, and we think that decision unjust and in conflict with the laws of the United States, and the rule of decisions as established by that court. In the case of Leffingwell vs. Warren, decided but one year before the Gelpeke case. Justice Swayne .in the opinion of the court, says, that in

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 235

questions arising under state laws, the United States courts will follow the de- cisions of the state courts; that such decisions are as binding upon them as the text, and that when state courts change their decisions, the United States courts would follow the last settled decision (I do not quote verbatim, but give the substance).

"In the Gelpeke case Justice Swayne, while he recognizes the rule in the case of Leffingwell vs. Warren, says: 'It cannot be expected that this court will follow every such oscillation, from whatever cause arising, that may possibly occur.' In other words, he calls the first decisions made by a divided court, at one time, based on the ground, and then on a new and distinct ground, without harmony or order, 'settled decisions,' and calls the uniform and unanimous deci- sions of the state courts for a number of years, decisions that are in harmony with the constitution and laws of the state oscillations, and refuses to follow them as we think, in violation of the express law of congress enacted in 1789, and now in full force. We are now in an oscillating situation. On the one hand we have the decisions of our courts against the validity of these bonds ; on the other, the United States courts in favor of the validity of the bonds, with writs of man- damus coming thick and fast. The edict of this court has gone forth and we are commanded to pay whether we can or not. The United States court is send- ing its officers among us, commanding us to submit, and threatening us with the military power of the government if we do not yield. Some of us have resolved to adhere to the decisions of our state courts, believing that some rights are still left to the states, and that under the laws of the United States even the supreme court must respect those rights, and while we do not expect to secede from the Union, or arise in our majesty to resist forcibly the power that is crushing us to the earth, we do expect to use all legal means we have in the vindication of our rights. We will resist as long as we can, and if we must pay in, will get off as cheaply as possible. We do not recognize the debt as just; we claim to have been swindled ; we do not look upon ourselves as repudiators, but claim that the bonds having been obtained by fraud, and sold and guaranteed by the railroad companies, the holders of those bonds should look to the companies with whom they have dealt for their pay. By order of the United States courts, taxes have been levied in some of the counties as high as six per cent. We cannot pay them. If we cannot get rid of these levies, of course property will be seized and effort made to sell it. We do not intend to purchase each other's property. The bondholders must purchase, and as they leave our counties with a long train of lame and blind horses, worn out mules, no-horned coz^s, old wagons and steers, with a few old threshing machines, and other articles too numerous to mention, they will probably feel disposed to sell out at a discount, or should they attempt to sell real estate (which they cannot do if there is per- sonalty), they will not find it possible to prosecute a suit in each individual case. Our position is to defend as long as we can; and if no satisfactory settle- ment can be had, then by all lawful means to retard and prevent the collection of these unjust judgments, in the hope of being able to compel such a settlement as we can accept, and not without a faint hope that the supreme court of the United States, as it oscillates from one position to another, may oscillate so far as to decide in accordance with the settled decisions of our own courts, and

236 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

relieve us from the oppression resulting from fraud in the first instance, fol- lowed by unjust decisions of courts."

In this paper there is much other literature on this subject, some of which will be of interest as indicating the rather curious legal positions taken at that time. The following is an extract from an article in reply to the article of Andrew Gamble which we have heretofore given: "Again we are admonished to pay such judgments and bonds for the reason 'that these debts are a lien upon every foot of land in Louisa county." That proposition is startling, and may have induced some persons to pay who otherwise would have not. It is equally as absurd as startling. Let us see : Who are these judgments against? Louisa count)'. To whom must these judgment creditors look for their money? Louisa county. Who owns the land and town lots in this county? Surely Louisa county does not own every foot. Louisa count)- may own some swamp land and upon that the lien may exist, but on no more."

The same paper contains the position of Hon. Rush Clark, of Iowa City, who at a railroad bond convention held at Muscatine a short time before that had delivered one of the principal addresses. This convention, by the wav, was attended by delegates from eight counties, viz : Lee. Muscatine, Johnson, Washington, Louisa. Iowa, Poweshiek, Jefferson and Cedar, and was presided over by J. B. Grinnell, governor, anil Samuel J. Kirkwood was chairman of the committee on resolutions. Among other things Mr. Clark said: "We are told the courts have disposed of this question and decided against us, but resting on the merits of the question, we deny that judgments by the federal courts are a lien upon the property of citizens. . . . The judgments are conclusive as to corporations, but not as to citizens; as to county or city, but not as to people. Private property is safe from the debt of a municipal corporation. It is the same as a creditor saying that if he cannot collect what A owes him he will col- lect from B. His neighbor, the bondholder, took the worthless bonds from the county and city in their own trust and now demand that individual taxpayers shall pay it. Let them take the property of the county. What if that property is exempt from execution? The bondholders should have thought of that when they took the bonds. . . . We are not counties — I am not Johnson county. There is a refuge for the people which we should have and will have if we stand firmly by our rights."

The Muscatine convention before referred to declared that the recent de- cisions of the federal courts involving railroad bonds seemed "subversive to the authority and dignity of our state courts, and dangerous to the rights and privileges of the citizens of the states if not positive and unwarranted encroach- ments upon the jurisdiction of the state courts, and recommended the payment of all taxes except the railroad bond tax. and a refusal to pay that until all legal and practical remedies were exhausted."

The voters of the county at the election on December 29, 1869, refused by an overwhelming majority — almost unanimously — to accept the proposition to settle the bonded indebtedness under the recent act of the legislature, the people resting in the belief that the federal courts either could not or would not enforce the payment of the taxes. This belief had been strengthened by reason of the fact that in the early part of the year 1869 or perhaps earlier, an application had been made to the federal court in a case concerning Washington or John-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 237

son county bonds for the appointment of a commissioner to levy and collect the taxes, and this application had been heard in Des Moines by Supreme Court Justice Samuel F. Miller, and overruled, and it was hoped that the United States supreme court would take the same view of it. But this hope was ground- less. The United States supreme court reversed Justice Miller's decision, and as a result the United States marshal was sent here and began the collection of the taxes. After he had collected some taxes (we have not been able to ascer- tain just the amount, but believe it to have been about $6,000) the marshal de- parted. As this is the only case in which a "foreign" officer has ever been sent to collect taxes in this county, the notice issued by the United States marshal at that time was published in the papers of the county will doubtless be of interest:

"To the Taxpayers of Louisa Count}- :

"The undersigned has been appointed by the U. S. Circuit Court at Des Moines to collect the tax levied to satisfy certain judgments in favor of Francis Fellows and Adolph Knipper. I can be found at the County Treasurer's Office, where all persons who have neglected to do so are requested to call and pay their R. R. tax. These taxes bear one per cent a month for the first three months after the 1st day of March, two per cent a month for the second three months, three per cent a month for the third three months, and four per cent a month thereafter until paid. And the Court has directed me to collect from the delinquent taxpayers my costs and the costs of the Court.

"The late period at which this order has come into my hands will prevent me from making personal demand or selling personal property, except in those cases where the taxpayer has no real estate. The real property of all persons who fail to pay their taxes will be duly advertised and sold.

"G. W. Clark.

"U. S. Marshal. "By J. S. Clark,

Deputy. "Wapello, 1st July, 1870."

The matter was arranged so as to dispense with the presence of the United States marshal and to have the taxes collected in the ordinary way by our county officials. This arrangement was largely brought about my Andrew Gamble, Francis Springer and W. S. Kremer on the part of the county, and Grant & Smith, of Davenport, attorneys for the principal bondholders. The people gen- erally began to pay these taxes in August, 1870, and the greater part of them were paid by December, 1873. The amount of taxes paid for these Air Line bonds from November, 1869, to January, 1879, amounts to $275,806.25.

The following report made by County Auditor Allen, in June, 1870, shows the expenses of the litigation that had been paid at that time and an estimate of those still unpaid :

"To D. C. Cloud for Atty. fees $1,241.50

To Henry O'Connor for Atty. fees 324.50

To C. H. Phelps for Atty. fees 224.49

238 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

To D. X. Sprague for Atty. fees 500.00

To Tracey & Hurley for Atty. fees i/5-OO

To J. Tracey for Atty. fees 325.00

To J. S. Hurley for Atty. fees 340.00

To Bird & Sprague for Atty. fees 25.00

To G. B. Corkhill, Clerk U. S. Court 5/i-8o

To G. W. Clark, U. S. Marshal 192.00

Expenses of Board in attending U. S. Court and Special Sessions. . 1,463.00

Costs Pd. in Case of Bolter vs. County 173-28

Total Paid $5,555-57

Amount of Court & Atty. fees now due and unpaid estimated at. . . .$1,000.00

Total costs $6,555-57

"Respectfully submitted,

"Wm, G. Allen, Co. Auditor."

Another item of expense is the taxes originally levied in 1856, 1857, 185S and 1859, for the payment of the interest on these bonds. The amount collected in taxes then was about $16,299.70. The total cost of our Air Line railroad experience therefore was about $298,665.52.

Here we close a subject which has been both interesting and expensive to the people of this county. At the time the road was first proposed a great majority of the people were anxious to aid it because they believed in it. After it failed, the great majority of the people of the county criticised and condemned many of the men who had been instrumental in furthering the project. Looking at the matter from this distance and considering the immense benefit that would have accrued not merely to Wapello and to Burris City, but to the entire county, by the building of this road, the men who favored it were partly in the right- We know now. however, and have learned it at a great cost, that it would have been better to listen to the voice of those who pointed out the fact that the enterprise did not have sufficient capital behind it, and who were anxious that the obligations of the county should be issued in such a way that thev would only be payable in the event that the county secured the railroad.

CHAPTER XIV. OUR COURTS AND LAWYERS.

FIRST COURT JUDICIAL DISTRICTS JUDGES SOME EARLY LAWSUITS, ETC. LOUISA

COUNTY LAWYERS.

The act of congress, approved June 28, 1834, attached what is now Iowa to the territory of Michigan, for the purpose of temporary government ; and on Sep- tember 6th of the same year, the legislative council of Michigan divided what is now Iowa, into two counties, Dubuque and Des Moines, and these counties were made subject to the jurisdiction of the United States circuit court for Iowa county, Michigan Territory. This Iowa County was east of the Mississippi, and had no relation to what afterward became Iowa Territory.

The organic act of Wisconsin Territory, approved April 20, 1836, by which the Iowa country was made a part of Wisconsin Territory, provided for a division of Wisconsin Territory into three judicial districts. And accordingly by an act approved November 15, 1836, the Wisconsin territorial legislature established the judicial districts and made the counties of Dubuque and Des Moines con- stitute the second judicial district, and provided in the same act that Judge David Irvin of the supreme court should perform district court duties in the second district.

As we have already seen in Chapter VII, Judge Irvin held the first court in Louisa county in April, 1837. He also held another term of court in the spring of 1838. By the organic act of the territory of Iowa, approved June 12, 1838, it was provided that the territory should be divided into three judicial districts and that temporarily, and until otherwise provided by law of the legislative assembly, the governor should define the judicial districts of the territory and assign the judges who should be appointed for such territory, to the several districts, etc.

The first establishment of judicial districts in the territory of Iowa was made July 25, 1838, by the proclamation of William B. Conway, signing himself as "Acting Governor of the Territory of Iowa." Mr. Conway was at that time the duly appointed and qualified secretary of the territory, and had arrived on the scene of action before the newly appointed governor, Robert Lucas, and hence, Mr. Conway took it upon himself to "start things" in his own way. Mr. Conway's proclamation defined the judicial districts of the territory and the assignment of judges of the supreme court to their respective districts. Under this proclama- tion the second district was composed of the counties of Scott, Musquitine, Louisa, Slaughter and Johnson, and Judge Joseph Williams was assigned to hold district court therein, and the court term in Louisa county was to begin on the third

239

240 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

.Monday in October. Afterward, on January 21, 1839, the judicial districts of Iowa Territory were established by the legislature, and the second district was composed of the counties of Louisa, Muscatine, Cedar, Johnson and Slaughter, with Linn county attached to Johnson, and with Jones county attached to Cedar for judicial purposes. Shortly after this the name of Slaughter county was changed to Washington.

We insert here the sketch of Judge Joseph Williams, taken from the pamphlet "Our Judges." written by George Frazee, Esq., of Burlington:

"Of the early history of Judge Williams I have not been able to obtain any information. Presumably he was a native of Pennsylvania, since he was ap- pointed from that state one of the associate judges of the territorial supreme court by Van Buren in [838, came to Iowa to assume the duties of that position and became a resident of Bloomington, the name of which has since been changed to Muscatine. At that time he must have been of middle age, since, when I first became acquainted with him in 1849, he seemed to be verging on the downhill side of life.

"At that time the territory was divided into three districts, the southern, mid- dle, and northern, one of the judges residing in each, and individually presiding over the district courts held therein, from which appeals could be taken to the supreme court composed of the three sitting in bank presided over by Chief Jus- tice Charles Mason. All of these three were democrats, and that party being dominant at Washington during the territorial existence except during the short period of President Harrison's incumbency, all of the three, though appointed for terms of four years, were twice reappointed, once by Tyler, who, though elected by the whigs to the vice presidency, had gone into the ranks of the op- posite party, and secondly, by President Polk. The Hon. T. S. Parvin tells us how the last appointment was secured. Judge Williams, upon the accession to Polk and change of administration, fearing that he might be superseded, started for the capital himself to do what he could towards averting that danger. Of course he went by the only feasible route of those days, by river to Wheeling or Pittsburg, and thence by stage and perhaps partly by rail to his destination — a long and tedious journey. On the way he fell in with a lady, whose destination was the same as his own, with whom he made a traveler's acquaintance, without learning her name, and to whom in the course of conversation he communicated the purpose of his journey. The Judge was eminently social, running over with anecdote and repartee, and especially gallant towards the ladies. These qualities interested the lady, as well as others. On reaching the capital they parted, and a day or two afterwards the Judge called upon the President with the purpose of urging his re-appointment. He was received with manifest favor, and on stat- ing his errand was promptly assured that his desire should be gratified. The 1 'resident then told him that he wished to introduce him to a lady, who in a few minutes entered the room, and who, to the Judge's surprise, proved to be Mrs. Polk, who, it seems had made her husband acquainted with his attentions on the way, and the favorable opinion she had formed in regard to him. The Judge being successful in his own case, ventured farther and suggested that his as- sociates on the bench were equally worthy, and left with the comforting assurance

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 241

that there would he no change, and there was none, and all three retained then- positions until the territory hecame a state.

"The constitution provided that the territorial officers should continue to ex- ercise their functions until they were duly superseded by officers of the state, and. though the state was admitted December 28, 1846, judges of the supreme court were not elected until December, 1848. Meanwhile, Judge Mason resigned in !une, 1847, and Judge Williams was appointed chief justice in his place, and John F. Kinney appointed in place of Williams. The latter was elected chief justice of the state supreme court, December 7, 1848. his term expiring January 15, 1855, thus occupying the bench of the supreme court of territory and state for about seventeen years.

"Judge Williams was somewhat under the middle height, well proportioned, very active and vigorous, of excellent address, a pleasing countenance, a lively temper and disposition. I cannot describe the man better than by adopting the language of Judge Springer, who knew him much longer and much more inti- mately than I did. He writes of him : "Though not a first-rate lawyer, he was a good judge — popular as a man and as a judge. He had wonderful versatility of gifts outside of the judgeship. He and my friend, Edward H. Thomas, were the life and center of attraction in the social circles of evenings when on court circuits. Thev were both adepts in vocal and instrumental music. The Judge was at home on almost any instrument, banjo, drum, fiddle, as well as those of a higher grade. Mr. Thomas' specialty, though good on other instruments, was the flute, on which he had few equals anywhere. The Judge's gift as a comedian would keep a crowd in a roar; as a ventriloquist he would sometimes astonish the natives. He was withal a consistent member of the Methodist church, and a warm friend of temperance. His kindness and respect shown to the younger members of the bar were notable and appreciated, and he had a trait sometimes seen in great men. that of not caring for money.' What a pleasant companion he must have been to the members of the bar in the cramped quarters of log taverns when traveling round the circuit and wrestling all day with the dry and musty mysteries of the law, the anxieties of clients, or the palpable evasions ot reluctant witnesses."

After the admission of Iowa into the Union as a state, the first general as- sembly on February 4, 1847, established the judicial districts of the state, and Louisa county was placed in the first district, composed of the counties of Lee, Des Moines, Washington, Henry and Louisa. By the act approved January 15, 1849, Washington county was detached from the first district and attached to the fourth district. The judges of the first district under the constitution of 1846 were as follows: George H. Williams, of Lee county, elected April 5, 1847; Ralph P. Lowe, of Lee county, elected April 6, 1852, resigned in 1857; John W. Rankin, of Lee county, appointed by the governor, April 9, 1857, qualified April 13, 1857; Thomas W. Clagett, of Lee county, elected April 6, 1857, qualified May 16, 1857.

Judge George H. Williams, the first judge of this district after Iowa became a state, was born in Columbia county, New York, March 23, 1823, and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1844, and immediately removed to Lee county, in this state. Flewas elected district judge at the early age of twenty-four years and continued

Vol. 1—16

242 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

upon the bench until 1852. In this latter year he was a democratic presidential elector and cast his vote for Franklin Pierce, who in 1853 appointed him chief justice of the territory of Oregon. Judge Williams served six years in the United States senate from the state of Oregon, his service ending in 1871. At this time he was a republican. In 1872 he was appointed attorney general by President Grant, and in the following year he was nominated by President Grant for chief justice of the United States supreme court. This nomination, however, was with- drawn before it was acted upon. Judge Williams resigned the position of attorney general in 1875 and resumed the practice of law. His subsequent history we are not familiar with.

Judge Ralph P. Lowe was born in Ohio in 1808, and located at Muscatine (then Bloomington) in 1838. He was a member of the first constitutional con- vention of Iowa in 1844. In 1849 he removed to Keokuk and was our district judge from 1852 to 1857, in which latter year he was elected governor of the state to succeed Governor James W. Grimes. In 1861 he was elected a member of the supreme court and served in that capacity for eight years. After this he returned to the practice of law at Keokuk, but being employed by the state to prosecute its claims growing out of the Des Moines river land grant, and other grants, and some claims growing out of the rebellion, Judge Lowe removed to Washington City, where he resided until his death, which occurred December 22, 1883. Judge Lowe was a lawyer of ability and a man of good character, and he had the good will and esteem of the members of the bar and all others who came in contact with the courts.

John W. Rankin was born in Warren, Ohio, in June, 1823, and came to Keokuk, Iowa, in 1848, and became a member of the firm of Curtis, Rankin & Love. The firm later became Rankin, Miller & Enster, Mr. Miller being Justice Samuel F. Miller of the United States supreme court. Judge Rankin was later associated with George W. McCrary in the firm of Rankin & McCrary. Mr. McCrary served this district four terms as a representative in congress, and was afterward secretary of war in the cabinet of President Hayes, and later became United States circuit judge for the eighth circuit. Judge Rankin served as dis- trict judge of this district for but a little more than thirty days, but he was one of the greatest lawyers who ever sat upon this bench. He was also at one time state senator from Lee county and was colonel of the Seventeenth Regiment of Iowa Infantry in the war of the rebellion. He was one of the leaders in the republi- can party of Iowa in the early history and was a delegate to the convention which nominated Lincoln for president. He died Jul}- 10, 1869.

Judge Thomas W. Clagett was a Marylander, bom in August, 181 5, and came to Keokuk in 1850. He is said to have been a wealthy man when he came here — ■ a fact which distinguishes him from nearly all the other early members of the bar. We quote again from Mr. Frazee, the following concerning Judge Clagett:

"He was elected judge. April 6. 1857. ail(l qualified May 25th following. He continued to occupy the bench for the term fixed by the statute, and was a can- didate for reelection, in opposition to Judge Springer. One of the peculiarities of that election was the stump canvass of the district by Judge Clagett in his own behalf. His occupancy of the bench was not pleasant or in any way satisfactory to the bar. He proved to be impatient, hastv, irascible, rash and, as was gener-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 243

ally thought, quite tyrannous and unendurable. He seemed determined not only to preside as judge, but also to conduct both sides of every litigated case accord- ing to his passing whims. Sometimes he would not listen to argument; often he would limit the time to be occupied in the trial and in argument to jury and often was offensive in his remarks to the bar at large or to a particular member. On one occasion what he said to M. D. Browning was so insulting that the latter, always polite and considerate, was so incensed that he assaulted the judge on the bench and probably would have seriously injured him had not others interposed to prevent it. Clagett imposed a penalty of twenty-four hours in the county jail on Mr. Browning, to which every member of the bar then present attended him, leaving the judge alone in his glory, who went on calling cases and dis- missing them for want of prosecution, as a punishment for the evident condem- nation of his conduct. At another time he required bail of one hundred thousand dollars for a trifling misdemeanor, simply because some one, not concerned in the matter, chanced to observe in his hearing that the defendant could procure bail to that amount, which in fact I think he did without leaving the court room. I mention these facts not to derogate from the real worth of Judge Clagett as a man, but as one more illustrative of the fact that some natures, 'clothed with a little brief authority, play such fantastic tricks before high heaven as make the angels weep.' Off the bench the judge was as pleasant, sociable and agreeable as any one need to be. He was quite attractive in conversation, kind and court- eous to all, liberal and generous to others, a beloved neighbor, a sincere and help- ful friend ; and, as that nestor of the Keokuk bar, Daniel F. Miller, writes me, 'a very, very honest and kind hearted man, for whom he entertained great per- sonal friendship.' After leaving the bench, the Judge represented Lee county in the general assembly of 1861-62, and next became proprietor and editor of the Keokuk Constitution, a democratic newspaper which, under his administration during the rebellion, was one of the most ultra of its northern advocates. There was an army hospital at Keokuk and at times considerable numbers of sick and convalescing soldiers there; and so violent was Clagett, and so much did he in- cense the 'boys in blue' that they one night riotously assailed the Constitution office and tossed the whole concern into the Mississippi river. There was an official investigation of this violation of law, resulting in censure of the officers then in command, but not in the discovery of the actual offenders. The judge, after an interval, resumed publication of his paper with no change of opinion or spirit, throughout the war and afterwards until his death, April 14, 1876, at which time he had pretty much exhausted all his means and earnings."

A great many anecdotes have been told concerning Judge Clagett and his court in this county. One of them, for which we do not vouch, is that in a noted criminal case he instructed the jury that it was incumbent on the defend- ant to establish his innocence beyond a reasonable doubt. The other story illus- trates the wit of Henry O'Connor. Mr. O'Connor was engaged in making an argument to the jury in a case in which Judge Clagett had already made a ruling adverse to O'Connor's client, and one which was likely to have an important bear- ing on the verdict of the jury. During the course of his argument, O'Connor repeatedly alluded to the court's ruling, giving the jury plainly to understand that the court was wrong. Judge Clagett would call O'Connor to order whenever

244 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

he referred to the court's ruling, but O'Connor persisted in criticising it so often and so pointedly that Clagett finally said to him : "Air. O'Connor, I must insist that you observe the respect due from the bar to the bench." whereat Mr. O'Con- nor blandly replied : "Your honor. I have the most profound respect for the bench — no matter who occupies it."

After the adoption of the constitution of 1857, the seventh general assembly by an act approved March 20, 185S, established the judicial districts of the state. The act declares that the first district shall be composed of the counties of Lee, Henry, Des Moines and Lucas. The word Lucas, however, is a mistake, it hav- ing been intended for Louisa, as Lucas county was by the act placed in the sec- ond district.

The judges of the first district under the constitution of 1857 were as follows: Francis Springer, Louisa county, elected October 12, 1858, re-elected October 14. 1862, and October 9, 1866, resigned in November, 1869; Joshua Tracy, Des Moines county, appointed November 6, 1869, elected October 11, 1870, resigned in April, 1874; P. Henry Smyth, Des Moines county, appointed April 25, 1874, resigned in September, 1874; Thomas \\". Newman, Des Moines county, appointed September 25, 1874, elected October 13. 1874; A. H. Stutsman, Des Moines county, elected October 8, 1878, re-elected November 7, 1882.

It is proper to insert here something about the circuit court, because, when in [886 this count}- was put into the sixth district, die circuit court was by the same act abolished. By an act of the general assembly, approved April 6, 1868, the judicial districts of the state were divided into two circuits called first and second, and a circuit judge provided for each of these circuits. The first district was divided by making Lee and Henry counties, the first circuit, and Des Moines and Louisa counties, the second circuit. Judge John B. Drayer, of Henry county, was elected as the first judge for the first circuit, and Judge John C. Power, of Burlington, was elected the first judge of the second circuit. This arrangement continued for about four years, when by the act approved March 29 1872 the two circuits in each judicial district were consolidated and the judge who pre- sided in the first circuit of each district was designated to preside in the cir- cuit court of the entire district. Judge Drayer thus became the sole circuit judge in the district. This latter arrangement continued also for about four years when, on March 6, 1878, some of the districts were subdivided again into two circuits, the first district being one of these. The governor appointed Charles H. Phelps of Burlington, judge of the second circuit, which was composed of Des Moines and Louisa counties, as it had been before. In 1884 the constitution was so amended as to authorize the legislature to re-organize the judicial districts of the state and to increase the number of judges; consequently, the twenty-first general assembly, by an act approved April io, 1886, abolished the circuit courts and pro- vided for a general re-organization of the district courts, and of the judicial dis- tricts of the state, to take effect January 1. 1887. LTnder this act Louisa county was placed in the sixth judicial district, composed of the counties of Jasper, Poweshiek, Mahaska, Keokuk, Washington and Louisa. This district, while it continued, was sometimes called the "shoestring" district. At the time of the passage of the act last referred to, Judge W. R. Lewis, of Poweshiek county, was a circuit judge, whose term had not yet expired and the. people of his countv were very indignant that he had been legislated out of office. Judge Lewis.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 245

though always a republican, consented to become an independent candidate for district judge in the new district. The republican candidates were J. Kelley John- son, of Oskaloosa, David Ryan, of Newton, and Lewis A. Riley, of Wapello. We have not the official returns of this election at hand, but our recollection is that the entire population of Poweshiek county voted for Judge Lewis, with the result that his vote was largely in excess of that of either Judge Ryan or Mr. Riley. In the official count it appeared that Judge Ryan had a few more votes than Mr. Riley, and our first judges under the new arrangement were Johnson, Lewis and Ryan.

J. Kelley Johnson was elected November 2, 1886, re-elected November 4, 1890, died in 1894; David Ryan, elected November 2, 1886, re-elected November 4, 1890, and November 6, 1894; W. R. Lewis, elected November 2, 1886; A. R. Dewey, elected November 4, 1890, re-elected November 6, 1894; Ben McCoy, elected November 6, 1894, to fill vacancy caused by the death of J. Kelley Johnson.

Another change was made by the twenty-sixth general assembly by the pas- sage of the act approved April 20, 1896, creating the twentieth judicial district. This act provided that the counties of Des Moines, Henry and Louisa should constitute the twentieth judicial district and be entitled to two judges. The act also provided that there should be elected at the general election in 1896, and every four years thereafter, one district judge who should enter upon the dis- charge of his duties on the 1st of January following, and that there should be elected in the twentieth district at the general election in the year 1898, and every four years thereafter, one district judge who should enter upon the discharge of the duties of his office on the 1st of January. 1899, etc. The act also declared that the office of one of the district judges of the twentieth judicial district as defined by the act, was vacant, and authorized the governor to fill the vacancy, and the appointee to hold his office until the first day of January, 1897.

Under this act we have had but two judges — Judge W. S. Withrow, of Mount Pleasant, and Judge James D. Smyth, of Burlington. At the time this act was passed Judge Smyth was judge of the first district and had been since 1891.

A sketch of Judge Springer will be found elsewhere in this work. Judge Springer was succeeded by Joshua Tracy, who held the office of district attorney from 1859 to 1869, when he was appointed to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Judge Springer.

Joshua Tracy was born in Belmont county, Ohio, July 12, 1825. He settled in Burlington in 1850 and studied in the office of M. D. Browning. In 1852 he was admitted to the bar and formed a partnership with Judge Browning. He held the office of city solicitor in Burlington and represented Des Moines county in the house of representatives of the fifth general assembly. From 1863 until his appointment to the bench, he was in partnership with T. W. Newman, Esq. When he resigned his position as judge in 1874, he resumed the practice of law in partnership with his son, Samuel K. Tracy. Judge Tracy was at one time president of the Burlington <x Southwestern railroad, and was for several years general solicitor of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railway Company, and the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway Company. In 1880 he was elected president of the latter company, which position he held until his death on the 18th of May, 1884. Judge Tracy was a large, well pro-

246 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

portioned man, having a pleasant expression and an excellent face. He was a man of great force of character and great natural ability, and was successful both at the bar and on the bench. The members of the Des Moines county bar paid him this handsome tribute: "By his death, the bar of this county and the state has been deprived of one of its oldest and most eminent members, whose career was marked by ceaseless energy, great executive ability and eminent suc- cess, and society one of so noble a nature as could neither forget a favor nor harbor a revenge."

Judge P. Henry Smyth was born in Washington county, Virginia, March 10, 1829. He was admitted to the bar in Henry county. Tennessee, in 1849, and commenced the practice of law the following year at Cleveland, Ohio. In 1857 he located in Burlington, practicing law in partnership with his brother-in- law, Davis J. Crocker, and a little later in partnership with Henry Strong, and still later, in partnership with his son, James D., our present district judge. Judge P. Henry Smyth resigned too soon after his appointment to make a record on the bench, but he was a man of great force and ability, and one of the leaders of the Burlington bar. He had an elegant property at Cleveland, Ohio, where he spent his last years.

Judge Smyth was succeeded by Judge Thomas W. Newman, who was ap- pointed by Governor Carpenter in the fall of 1874. Judge Newman was a Mary- lander, born January 23, 1829, admitted to the bar in 1850 and came at once to Burlington, where he began the practice in partnership with W. S. Graff. He was elected county judge of Des Moines county in 1855 and served until 1857. He was a captain in the Eleventh United States Infantry and served for about two years at Burlington and in Indianapolis as a mustering officer, when he resigned and re-entered the practice of law in Burlington. Judge Newman took an active interest in the Burlington University and was connected with it from the time of its organization until his death. Judge Newman was a very attractive and agreeable man and took a high rank among the lawyers and judges of the state. He died at Burlington, November 2, 1892.

Our next district judge was Abraham H. Stutsman, who was born in Mor- gan county, Indiana, December 21. 1840. In 1861 he enlisted at Burlington in the First Iowa Cavalry and served until 1864, when he was discharged on account of a wound received in the summer of 1863, which resulted in the loss of his left arm. After this he read law in the office of Judge J. M. Beck, at Fort Madison, and was admitted to the bar at Keokuk in 1865. In the following year he located at Chariton, in Lucas county, then took a course in the law school of the Michigan University, from which he graduated in 1868. He was a member of the thirteenth general assembly from Lucas county. He returned to Burlington in 1870 and held the office of city solicitor and police judge for a number of years. He was elected district judge in 1878 and re-elected in 1882. After the close of his last term he re-entered the practice of law at Burlington, but in a short time removed to California, where he now resides.

We take the following notice of Judge Drayer from Mr. Frazee's work, here- tofore referred to: "John Breitenback Drayer, the first judge of the first circuit, was born at Lebanon, Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, April 7, 1823. His parents were German. His father, a watchmaker, with his family removed to Hamilton, Ohio, when John B. was about ten years old, and there the latter learned and

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 247

followed his father's trade until he reached the age of nineteen years, at which time he began the study of law in the office of Hon. John Woods, of Hamilton, and was admitted to the bar in April, 1844, upon reaching his majority, quite early enough for a young man who had enjoyed only a very limited common- school education. He commenced practice at Hamilton and there remained for about eight years, then removing to Eaton, Preble county, Ohio, where he con- tinued to practice until March, 1858, at which time he became a resident of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Soon after this removal he became a member of the Iowa con- ference of the Methodist Episcopal church as a minister and preached for about three years, at the end of which period he entered the military service of the United States as captain of Company H, Thirtieth Volunteer Infantry, serving as such for about seven months, when he was compelled to resign because of bad health. On his return to Mt. Pleasant, he was elected county judge in the fall of 1863, and retained that position until the 1st of January, 1869, when, having been elected judge of the circuit court at the preceding general election, in 1868, he entered upon the duties of that office. He was re-elected in 1872 and again in 1876, holding the position until January 1st, 1881, when he was succeeded by Judge Jeffries. Judge Drayer was first married to Miss Mary M. YVithrow, of Butler county, Ohio, January 5, 1847; secondly, to Miss Mary J. McCable, of Eaton, Ohio, February 4, 1854; and thirdly, to Mrs. Amanda Baird, of Butler county, Ohio, December 24, 1872. He died at Seven Miles Station, Butler county, Ohio, in the fall of 1891, leaving one daughter, Mrs. Anna Sullivan, who still resides in Mt. Pleasant."

Although Judge Drayer was the first judge of the first circuit of the first judicial district, he was not the first circuit judge to hold court in Louisa county.

Judge John C. Power was the first judge of the second circuit in this dis- trict, and hence, our first circuit judge. He was born at Mount Vernon, Ohio, April 18, 1841, and was admitted to the bar at Burlington in October, 1862. He was a gallant soldier, having been a member of the Eighth Iowa Cavalry, and was captain of Company D. In the fall of 1865 he was elected county judge of Des Moines county and was re-elected in 1867. He resigned this position to accept the place of circuit judge. After serving one term he resumed the prac- tice of law, first as a member of the firm of Power & Antrobus, next as a member of the firm of Power & Huston, and later formed a partnership with his son under the name of Power & Power, of which firm he is still the active head. Judge Power is a man of most exemplary character, and has an enviable record both at the bar and on the bench.

Charles H. Phelps was born at Middlebury, Vermont, in 1825. He first taught school for a short time and then studied law in the office of Senator Seymour, of Middlebury, who was a relative of his father. He was admitted to the bar in 1849 an(^ m tne following year began the practice of law at Burlington in partnership with Judge J. C. Hall. In a year or two he entered into partnership with Henry W. Starr and later was a partner of General S. L. Glasgow. In 1878 he was appointed by Governor Gear circuit judge and held that office until 1886, when he was elected district judge of the first district as then constituted, which consisted of the counties of Lee and Des Moines. Judge Phelps' service in this county on the bench was entirely as circuit judge. Prior to his appointment to the bench he had considerable practice in the courts

248 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

of Louisa county. He was not an industrious man nor a hard student, but he had a wonderful legal mind, and a memory which never failed him.

We have not the material at hand from which to write an adequate sketch of the judges who presided over our court while this county was a part of the sixth judicial district. Of our present judges. James D. Smyth and W. S. Withrow, we need only say that the people of Louisa county would not exchange them for any other two judges in the state. While no one could tell from the judicial conduct of these gentlemen that they had any politics whatever, it is nevertheless true that Judge Smyth is a democrat in politics, and Judge With- row is a republican, and for some years it has been the unwritten law in this district that when the democrats nominate Judge Smyth the republicans will make no nomination against him, and that when the republicans nominate judge Withrow, the democrats will run no candidate against him. In this way the people of the twentieth district have eliminated politics and partisanship from the judicial office.

DISTRICT ATTORNEYS.

From January i, 1859, to January 1, 1887, we had district attorneys, and the list of the men who occupied that office in this district is as follows : foshua Tracy, Des Moines county, elected October 12, 1858, re-elected October 14, 1862, and October 9, 1866, resigned in November. 1869; George B. Corkhill. Henry county, appointed November 6, 1869 ; D. N. Sprague, Lee county, elected October 11, 1870, re-elected October 13, 1874; T. A. Bereman, Henry county, elected October 8, 1878: D. N. Sprague, Lee county, elected November 7, 1882.

. SOME EARLY LAW SUITS.

From the records of the early law suits we have found many things of his- torical interest, showing the doings of earl)- settlers whose names figured in our early history, as well as the names of sonic whose names do not appear anywhere else. Besides, these suits throw some light mi the character and habits of those who are concerned in them, and much more upon the manner of preparing legal documents and conducting legal proceedings in the early days. Following is a sample of an indictment found at the first term of the district court held in this county :

"United States of America, Territory of Wisconsin, County of Louisa. — District Court for said County, April term A. D. 1837.

"The grand jurors selected tried and sworn in and for the body of the County aforesaid upon their oaths present, that James Gordon and. Joshua Smith late of the County aforesaid not having God before their eyes; but being persons of disolate habits of life- did on the 25th day of March in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and thirty-seven start set on foot play and bet at and on a certain game of chance with cards comonly called all fours. In the peace of God and the United States to the great damage of divers good and worthy citizens and gainst the dignity of the United States of America and the form of the Statute in such case made and provided, and so the grand jurors aforesaid do

ANDREW GAMBLE, H. M. LETTS, W. P. SMITH Supervisors of Louisa County, June, 1871

ro« IKN(W

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY -J49

"Found on the testimony of Phillip Maskell, one of the grand jurors sworn to give evidence. — James W. Woods, Atty. pro tern."

The records show that Loth these defendants were arrested on this indictment and gave bond with John Kern as security in the sum of $55. l'hillip Maskell seems to have been the only witness summoned, but the case was never tried. The records show the following motion, signed by James Gordon: The de- fendants move the court to quash the indictment in this case, because (1st) the said indictment is not endorsed by the clerk of this court as required by law ; (2d) the indictment charges no offense known to the law; (3d) the indictment should allege the offense to have been committed without a special act of the legislative council of the territory of Wisconsin.

It subsequently appears that David Rorer represented the defendants and moved the court to quash the indictment for reasons filed, and after argument on the motion the indictment was quashed. The costs amounted to $5-3i .' 4 ■

From the record of a civil suit begun on the 21st of April 1837, by William H. Dennison against William Fleming, we learn that both these parties were in Louisa county as early as July 12, 1836, for it is alleged that. on that date Flem- ing gave his note to Dennison in Louisa county for the sum of $87.50, payable on November 1st, 1836. James W. Woods was the attorney for the plaintiff. The name of the defendant's attorney does not appear in the record but the final entry shows that the case was dismissed at the plaintiff's costs, which were $5.12%.

There is also the record of a suit by Henry Thompson against William Milli- gan and M. P. Mitchell. It is entitled "Trespass" and seems to have been com- menced by Henry Thompson, filing an affidavit, stating that on or about June 7, 1837, in Louisa county, a certain William Milligan and M. P. Mitchell of said county "came to the dwelling house of him this deponent and then and there vi et armis forcibly and against the will of him this deponent and against the peace and dignity of the United States of America and this territory took from this deponent certain household property goods and chattels (belonging to him, this deponent to wit) : Beds and bedding, cooking utensils, certain articles of queens- ware, trunk, table and sundry other articles ; and the said property was taken from the said William Milligan and M. P. .Mitchell and carried away so that the said goods and chattels hath been and were greatly injured and damaged and the said deponent was deprived of the use and possession of the same, and the said William Milligan and M. P. Mitchell did him the said deponent then and there greatly abuse and ill treat and then and there drew and presented a cocked pistol at the said deponent and threatened him, the said deponent then and there to shoot, kill and murder," &c. This affidavit winds up by claiming damages to the amount of $3,000.

Upon the filing of this affidavit in the district court Clerk Inghram issued the following capias :

"Wisconsin Territory, Louisa County, ss. The United States of America To the Sheriff of said County, Greeting:

"You are hereby commanded to take William Milligan and Milton P. Mitchell

250 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

if to be found within your county and them safely keep so 'that you have their bodies before the District Court of said County on the first day of the next term thereof to be begun and holden in and for said county in the Town of Wapello, on the first Thursday after the third Monday in September we set to answer unto Henry Thompson in a plea of Trespass to his damage three thousand dollars. Hereof fail not at your peril and have you then there this writ. Witness the Honorable David Irvin Judge of the Second Judicial District of the Territory of Wisconsin and sealed with the temporary seal of the said court, tiiis third day

of July in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and thirty- (ss) seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the

sixty-first."

An order was made by Judge Irvin, dated July 4, 1837, fixing bail in this case at the sum of $500. The return of the sheriff on the capias is as follows: "By virtue of the within capias I have took the bodys of William Milligan and Milton P. Mitchell and took R. H. Slaughter and James Clark as bail for said Milligan's appearance at the court, 20th July, 1837, and M. P. Mitchell, 22d July, 1837, and Jeremiah Smith and John II. Benson as bail for M. P. Mitchell's appearance at court.

For serving, each $1.00 $2.00

Travel fee 62y2

For taking bond IOO

$3.62^ (Signed) Samuel Smith, Sheriff,

L. Co. W. T."

The records show the bonds referred to by the sheriff as bail and show also that subsequently subpoenas were issued for a number of witnesses, among them Philip B. Harrison, Christopher Shuck, Isaac Ramsey, George Clark Reed, Abigail Ramsey, Elias Keever, A. H. Lee, William L. Toole, Daniel Brewer, John W. Ferguson and several of the Rinearsons. This case was settled by an agreement dated May 3, 1838, whereby Henry Thompson withdrew and dis- missed the suit, and William Milligan agreed to pay the costs.

Another suit that was brought soon after this one and settled on the same day was the case of Milligan against Harless. We may infer from it that Martin Harless had some connection with the suit of Thompson against Milligan, or with the events that led up to it, for it seems that on July 22d, 1837, William Milligan made affidavit before the clerk of the district court in an action of trespass on the case for slander, against Martin Harless, stating that Harless had falsely accused Milligan of forging the names of P. B. Harrison and Chris- topher Shuck, justices of the peace, to a writ called a writ of restitution. In this suit Milligan claimed $1,000 damages from Harless. Harless was taken in custody upon capias and gave bond in the sum of $300 with John Bevins and Thomas England as security.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 251

The subpoenas show that William Milligan had the following witnesses summoned: Hiram Smith, Isaac Ramsey, E. Chapman, Henry Johnson, Noah Parrish, Henry Brendle, Henry Slaughter and Richard Slaughter, while the defendant Harles's seems to have caused summons to be issued for Philip B. Harrison, Henry Warnstaff, Charles D. Gilliam, and also for Christopher Shuck, with his docket entry and all the papers belonging in the case of William Milli- gan against Henry Thompson in an action of "forcible entry and detainer." This case was settled on May 4, 1838, by each party paying his own costs.

We learn from a suit between William H. Creighton and William H. Shuck that about April 1st, 1837, Mr. Creighton and James Wilson went after some meal and took it to the "slew," and that when Creighton proposed to take the meal across in a canoe, Shuck said to him that he could go through with the wagon and that if the meal was lost he would pay for it; that Shuck went in the slough and got stalled and that, in spite of all efforts of all three of the parties to save the meal, about thirty-five bushels of it was lost. Mr. Creighton first brought his suit before William Milligan, justice of the peace, and recov- ered judgment against Shuck for $45, with $6.05 costs. Mr. Shuck appealed to the district court. This appeal was dismissed on motion of Chapman & Grimes, attorneys for Creighton, which motion was based upon the following reasons: (1st) because there was no issue made up in court daily appearing upon the record; (2d) because it does not appear from the transcript which of the parties took the appeal.

There were a great many indictments for assault and battery at the first term of court held in this county. One was against John Kern for an assault upon Joseph Carter in February, 1837. Another was against Thomas D. Kil- lough for an assault upon James Criswell in April, 1837. Another was against Isaac Parsons for assaulting our first school teacher, J. W. Ferguson, on July 15, 1836. Another was against John Westfall for assaulting William Dupont in April, 1837. Another was against Joseph Carter for assaulting Riley Driskel. Another was against William Kennedy for assaulting James Irwin, December 6, 1836.

There was an indictment against John W. Ferguson for assaulting Samuel S. Gourley on February 25, 1837, and another against Samuel S. Gourley for assaulting John W. Ferguson on the same date.

The indictments for assault and battery were all much alike ; we give one of them :

"The grand jurors selected, tried and sworn in and for the body of the county aforesaid upon their oaths presented for Isaac Parsons of the county aforesaid on the 15th day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, with force and arms at the county aforesaid in and upon one J. W. Ferguson in the peace of God and the United States then and there being, did make an assault, and him the said J. W. Ferguson then and there did beat, bruise, wound and ill treat so that his life was greatly despaired of and other wrongs to the said J. W. Ferguson then and there did to the great damage of the said J. W. Ferguson, and against the peace of dignity of the United States of America and contrary to the said statute in such case made and provided and so the grand jurors aforesaid do say."

252 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Another case is an indictment against Orin Briggs, Robert Briggs and |. \\ . Ferguson, charging that on July 28, 1837. the)' "with force and arms, being unlawfully assembled together in a warlike manner did make an affray to the terror and disturbance of divers of the citizens, etc."

Another case is that of Samuel Smith against Rufus P. Burlingame, attach- ment for the sum of $750, issued June 17, 1837. At this time Samuel Smith was sheriff and it was necessary to place the writ in the hands of the coroner for service. Mr. Burlingame was then in the mercantile business at the town of Iowa and it appears from the papers that his store goods were levied on and that these goods were appraised by Charles B. Field and William Guthrie at $2,913.76. The coroner also levied on two yoke of oxen, one chain, one large <>\ wagon which were appraised at $175. one cow and calf appraised at $30 and also 2,000 rails and ten acres of "broke prairie" immediately west of the, adjoining town of Iowa appraised at -$61.25. Mr. Burlingame gave a delivery bond to the coroner for these goods, the bond being signed by Francis Blake, Jeremiah Smith and William Dupont. In May, 1838, the case seems to have. been settled and dismissed, each party paying half the costs.

It appears that our first postmaster, C. A. Ballard, also was in litigation. On July 19, 1837. Ridgely & Billou, by Browning & Perrin. their attorneys, brought an action of assumpsit against him for $280. I. W. Woods represented Mr. Ballard and moved to quash the writ, (1st) because it was not made return- able to the district court but to the judge; (2d) because the writ was not in the name of the parties, but of a firm, and because it was not properly endorsed. This motion after "mature consideration," as the record shows, was sustained.

We must not omit to mention a suit in which our first settler. Christopher Shuck was interested; it was the case of Christopher Shuck vs. Orin Briggs. This was a slander suit and was dismissed at the cost of defendant June 11. 1839, as the records of the District Court show. A little paper filed in the County Recorder's office dated June 8. 1830. explains why the case was dismissed; it is as follows :

"To the Public. Some time in March last through the influence of passion I, — in the presence of Several individuals made Several statements derogatory of the character of Christopher Shuck. Esqr., only for the purpose of irritating him — I stated he was a sheep thief, a horse thief &c &c which charge may do Mr. Shuck some injury abroad. To prevent which and to repair the injury done Mr. Shuck. I take this method of making it known that I do not know of any act of his that would warrant me in making the above charges — and as I before Mated I made them only for the purpose of irritating him."

June 8. 1839. Orix Briggs.

In the presence of

Wm. Fleming. Albert Cadwf.ll.

Another item in the Court records which will give us an insight into the habits of the pioneers is found in the probate record of the estate of S. S. Gourlev, one of the early settlers of the county. Tt shows that William Milligan filed a

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 253

note for $25.00 against Mr. Gourley's estate, and that Edward II. Thomas was appointed by the Court to defend on behalf of the estate. The note was duly proven, and the consideration therefor was also duly proven, and the Court's finding, after stating the foregoing facts, is as follows: "It is adjudged by the Court that said consideration is a bad one."

Enough interesting items could be found in the probate records alone to fill this volume, but we will content ourselves with giving the final entry made by our last probate Judge, .Merit Jamison, on August 5, 1851, it is as follows: "Court adjourned. "Signed I." Intended, of course, for sine die.

The District Court records show numberless reports made by the Grand Jury, most of which are strictly formal. For the past few years the Grand Jury have condemned our Count)- jail at least once a year and sometimes oftener. We think it worth while to give the report made at the October. 1865, term of the District Court, which is as follows:

"Grand Jury Room. Wapello, Iowa, Oct. 26, 1865.

To Hon. Francis Springer, Judge of the District Court of Louisa County, Iowa :

The Grand Jury in the discharge of their duties have visited and examined the County Jail. The Jurors were gratified to find it tenantless, no persons being confined therein, which they consider a good argument in favor of the morals and law-abiding qualities of the citizens of the County.

The Grand Jury after much patient investigation into the cases of liquor sell- ing have come to the conclusion, either that this pernicious traffic has nearly ceased (except for medical purposes) or else that there is a great deal of hard swearing done to shield the perpetrators.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

A. Gamble,

Foreman."

LOUISA COUNTY LAWYERS.

Lest those who read this book should forget, we again refer to the fact that this publication consists of two volumes, one a Biographical and the other a Historical volume, and that the author of this Historical volume has had no con- nection with the Biographical volume. It is to be presumed that all the residents of the county at the present time who desired their biographies or the biographies of any of their friends or relatives in this work have made arrangements therefor with the publishers. The author has. however, in this Historical volume, inserted brief biographical notices of a few of our departed pioneers, because they are considered as representatives of the early pioneers, and because their sketches will not likely appear in the biographical volume

As is well known, the first resident lawyers in the county were Francis Springer and Edward H. Thomas, who came here December 21, 1838.

The next resident lawyer to settle here was Colonel John Bird, who came in 1843.

254 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Next came James Noffsinger, who was not much of a practitioner, but devoted his attention more to the newspaper business, having started the Louisa County Times in 1850.

B. F. Wright came in 1853, from Indianapolis, Indiana.

James S. Hurley came to the County in 1840. but came to Wapello as an at- torney in 1854.

D. N. Sprague came in 1855, and Levi Chase came about the same time as Sprague, or perhaps a little earlier; we have not the exact date of his arrival.

These five men. Bird, Wright, Hurley. Sprague and Chase gave Wapello a strong bar during the years of their activity. Sketches of Mr. Hurley and Mr. Sprague will be found in the chapter on Personal Mention ; we have not adequate material for writing sketches of the other three.

Colonel Bird was not only an active man in the practice of law, but was a man of great public spirit, and took great interest in the promotion of any enterprise which promised well for Wapello. Both he and Mr. Hurley were instrumental in getting the B. C. R. & M. Railroad to Wapello.

B. F. Wright was active at the bar for a great many years, and was nearly always in demand during his palmy days to assist in the defense of noted criminal cases, as well as to make public addresses. Mr. Wright was a member of Company G of the 19th Iowa, and came out of the war as second lieutenant.

Colonel Bird organized Company F of the 19th Iowa and was its captain.

Another prominent member of the Wapello liar who now lives in Utah, was E. W. Tatlock, who came here in 1869.

In October. 1874, J. B. Wilson was admitted to practice, and for a long time (he firm of Tatlock & Wilson was well known in the legal circles of the county. Mr. Wilson is now practicing in Fredonia, Kansas.

After John Hale retired from the Clerk's office he became a partner with James S. Hurley; a sketch of Mr. Hale will be found elsewhere.

The present members of the Louisa County bar. are as follows:

Columbus Junction: C. A. Carpenter; D. N. Johnson; F. M. Molsberry and E. B. Tucker.

Morning Sun: Fred Courts and Guy J. Tomlinson.

Wapello: Oscar Hale: W. H. Hurley; L. A. Reiley ; Arthur Springer; H. O. Weaver and C. M. Wright.

We append herewith an alphabetical list of all the lawyers who have ever been resident practitioners in this county: Charles H. Abbott, John Bird, W.

E. Blake. J. B. Brigham, R. C. Burchell. Charles Baldwin, C. A. Carpenter. Robert Caldwell, Levi Chase, Fred Courts, H. E. Curran, James M. Edwards, P. W. Forbes, F. E. Goble, W. H. Gray, W. P. Gregory, John Hale, Oscar Hale,- G. B. Haddock, James S. Hurley, W. H. Hurley, R. H. Hanna, K. O. Holmes, John Huff, A. W. Jarvis, D. N. Johnson, Jerry M. Limbocker, A. P. Limbocker,

F. M. Molsberry, Perry McVey, James Noffsinger, Joseph L. Paschall, Royal Prentis, H. W. Perkins, L. A. Reiley, Francis Springer, D. N. Sprague, Frank Springer, Arthur Springer, E. W. Tatlock, E. H. Thomas, Guy J. Tomlinson, E. M. Timony, E. B. Tucker, James M. Virgin, H. O. Weaver, J. B. Wilson, G W. Watters, G. T. Whisler, B. F. Wright, A. M. Williams, C. M. Wright.

We have included in this list the names of Hon. W. E. Blake of Burlington, and Hon. Frank Springer of Las Vegas, New Mexico, both of whom have

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 255

attained great distinction in their profession, and both of whom were residents of the county at the time they were admitted to the bar, and both of them first began practice at Burlington, Mr. Blake as the partner of Judge Newman, and Mr. Springer as the partner of Hon. Henry Strong.

For a short time there was a lawyer by the name of Dunlap at Burris City ; there was also a lawyer-editor by the name of Stafford connected with the "Burris Commercial," but his residence was New Boston most, if not all the time.

CHAPTER XV.

LOUISA COUNTY DOCTORS.

Many of our early doctors have left no data from which to make adequate biographical sketches of them. One of the early doctors in the county was Reuben S. Searl. He lived at Harrison for a time. His wife was a sister of Levi Stephen.

Another early doctor was John W. Brookbank, who, besides being a doctor, was something of a politician and represented this county in the first constitu- tional convention. He was a splendid man, and a fine doctor.

Dr. Howey came to the county about this time and first settled in Harrison, and while he was there formed a partnership with Dr. Brookbank, the firm having offices both in Wapello and Harrison. Dr. Howey's first wife was a Delabar, who was buried in the Harrison cemetery. Dr. Howey next married a daughter of Joshua Marshall. His third wife was Miss McMahill. In his early years Dr. Howey was rather an active practitioner but later he abandoned the practice of medicine for the drug business.

Another early doctor was Enoch K. Maxson, of Fredonia, who came here probably as early as 1840. He is said to have had quite an extensive practice in the forks of the river and east of there, and to have been quite popular in that section. He died early in the '40s. Dr. Samuel R. Isett of Cairo, was also an early doctor.

The first doctor at Columbus City was James M. Robertson, who came there from Burlington and had been a wholesale and retail druggist at Burlington for a few years. Dr. Robertson's name figures extensively in the history of Columbus City.

Other Columbus City doctors in those early years were: Dr. Skillman, B. G. Neal, W. M. Clark, W. A. Colton, John Overholt, and it is said that Dr. John Bell, Jr., was a resident of Columbus City for a very short time. In 1856 Colum- bus City boasted of seven doctors, whose names will be found in the history of that place. At a somewhat later date Dr. John Overholt came to Columbus City. One of the noted doctors of that place was Dr. W. S. Robertson, who was at one time captain of the Union Guards, was a major in the Union army, but resigned early in the war, because, as it is said, he was not appointed colonel of the Thirtieth Iowa, when Charles H. Abbott of this county received that position. Dr. Robertson became one of. the foremost doctors of the state, and was one of the organizers of the medical department of the State University and for a long time a member of its faculty.

Drs. Clark and Colton kept a drug store at Columbus City. Dr. Colton was an active practitioner for some time. In 1858 he was elected county treasurer,

257

258 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

being one of the few democrats elected in this count}- that year. He moved to Des Moines in 18(17. "here he continued in the drug business until 1876, when he came to Columbus Junction and was elected cashier of the Louisa County National Hank soon afterward, which position he held for a great many years. During his residence at Columbus Junction, he was elected a member of the eighteenth general assembly. lie was also one of the leading Masons of the county. Few men in the county have enjoyed to a greater degree the confidence and respect of the whole people than did Dr. Colton.

Another of the doctors in the north end of the county before the war was Solomon Dill, who in 1859 was located at Altoona. which was the postoffice name for Hillsboro and Lafayette; Dr. Dill afterward lived at Fredonia for many vears. Dr. A. L. Baird lived at Ononwa in 1859.

Manv of the Louisa county doctors are referred to in an excellent paper prepared by Dr. \Y. S. Grimes, of Wapello, and read at a recent meeting of the Louisa County Medical Society. "With Dr. Grimes' permission, we copy the article in full :

"The Louisa 'County Medical Society was organized April 24, 1852. at Wapello, Iowa. It evidently is one of the pioneer county societies of the state, the State Medical Society having been organized and incorporated in 1861. At the first meeting of the society. Dr. J. M. Robertson, of Columbus City, was elected president ; Dr. T. G. Taylor, of Wapello, secretary ; Dr. J. B. Latta, of Grandview, treasurer. Drs. H. T. Cleaver, John Bell, Jr. of Wapello, and J. H. Graham, of Morning Sun, were appointed censors. At that meeting a con- stitution, by-laws and code of ethics were adopted.

"It seems that the above named physicians were all that were in attendance at the time of organization. At the next meeting, January 19, 1853, Drs. H. Belknap, John Cleaves of Columbus City, and A. S. Condon were admitted to membership. Where the latter was located in the county I have been unable to learn. Dr. John Bell, Sr.. of Wapello, was admitted as an honorary member of the society. April 16, 1853. Dr. W. M. Clark, of Columbus City, was admitted at the same time. In January, 1854, Dr. B. G. Neal, of Columbus City, was admitted to membership. On January 3- 1855, the operation of removing a bar of lead from the stomach of L. W. Bates, was performed by Dr. John Bell. Jr.. assisted by Drs. J. M. Robertson. H. T. Cleaver, J. H. Graham and T. G. Taylor. This operation was performed at the home of the patient, a small cabin, six miles northwest of Wapello. A full report of the case was made by Dr. John Bell to the 'Boston Medical and Surgical Journal,' January 19., i860, a reprint of which will be attached to this report. (This bar of lead is now in my possession).

"May 2^,, 1855, Dr. W. A. Colton, of Columbus City, was admitted to membership, and on April 19, 1856, Dr. W. S. Robertson, of Columbus City was admitted to membership. Some years after this he was elected professor in the medical department of the Iowa State University, which position he held until the time of his death, which occurred in Muscatine, Iowa.

"May 28, 1856, Dr. D. McCaughn, of Morning Sun, was admitted to mem- bership. There were no other accessions to the society until April 18. 1857. when Dr. John Muldoon, of Wapello, was admitted. July 17. 1858. Dr. C. H.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 259

Curtis (location unknown to me) was admitted to membership. April 20, 1861, Dr. S. E. Jones, of Grandview, was made a member. [Dr. Curtis died at Colum- bus City in 1859. — Editor.].

"November 16, 1864, Dr. I. C. Brown, of Columbus City, was admitted. November 15, 1865, Dr. J. F. Grimes, of Wapello (a brother of the writer), was admitted to membership. July 12, 1866, Dr. D. W. Overholt, then at Grandview, but later of Columbus Junction, was admitted. April 17, 1867, Drs. J. W. Holliday. then at Morning Sun, now located at Burlington, and O. E. Deeds, of Wapello, were made members.

"April 18, 1 87 1, Drs. A. B. McCandless, of Columbus City, Frank Tustison, of Wapello, and B. G. Kimmel. of Winfield, were admitted. May 30, 1872, J. A. Thompson, of Cairo, and later of Letts, was admitted. April 19, 1873, W. S. Grimes, of Wapello, was made a member, and on May 15, 1873, Drs. H. Ochiltree and S. R. Spaulding, of Morning Sun, were admitted.

"July 10, 1873, Drs. Thomas Blackstone, of Cairo, S. Dill, of Fredonia, and George P. Neal, of Columbus Junction, were admitted to membership. Novem- ber 13, 1873, Dr. N. W. Mountain, of Lettsville. was admitted. In April, 1874, Dr. J. A. Scroggs, of Grandview, was admitted to membership. Soon after he located in Muscatine and later in Keokuk, Iowa, where he accepted the chair of obstetrics in the Keokuk Medical College in 1882. He held this position until 1908, when the college was merged with Drake University. He died in Keokuk, August 2^, 1910. Dr. M. W. Lilly, of Grandview, now of Chicago, was admitted in 1875.

"Dr. H. S. Rogers, of Grandview, joined the society in 1878, which mem- bership he held until his removal to Red Oak in 1885. Drs. D. J. Higley, of Grandview, and J. L. Overholt, of Columbus Junction, were admitted prior to 1890, the exact date of which I have been unable to learn.

"From 1887 to 1890 no meetings of the society were held. On April 26, 1900, a meeting was held in Columbus Junction, when the following named physicians were admitted to membership : D. Y. Graham, W. R. Smyth. W. S. McClellan, of Morning Sun : J. H. Chittum, of Wapello ; J. W. and C. S. Clegg, of Columbus Junction ; and J. W. Morgan and S. J. Lewis, of Columbus City.

"May 9. 1901, H. C. Brown, of Columbus Junction, J. H. Wallahan and E. A. Sailor, of Wapello, were admitted to membership. October 24. 1901, Dr. G. W. Armentrout, of Letts, was made a member, and on June 14, 1902, A. M. Cowden, of Grandview, was admitted. September 10, 1903, Drs. A. M. Rogers, O. G. Messenger, of Wapello, and R. C. Ditto, of Oakville, were admitted to membership. October 13, 1904. Drs. F. A. Hubbard and E. C. Rogers, of Columbus Junction, were admitted. The latter is now a resident of Wapello.

"It is my belief that the following named physicians were at one time mem- bers of the society, but the records of the earlier meetings having been destroyed by fire, so I am unable to be definite. They were: Frank Graham, now of Atlantic, Iowa ; E. I. Hall, at one time a resident of Columbus Junction, after- ward moved south to Louisiana ; E. F. Latta, a son of J. B. Latta, of Grand- view, and formerly a partner with his father, later located at Unadilla, Nebraska, wdiere he died January 29, 1894.

"So far as I have been able to ascertain, this included all who are or have been members of the society from its organization to the present time. For-

260 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

merly the meetings were held quarterly and one day's program covered a broad field. To illustrate : At a meeting held April 19, 1856, the following members were appointed to give 'dissertations' at the next meeting, viz : Dr. J. M. Robert- son, 'On General Practice ;' Dr. T. G. Taylor, 'Obstetrics and Diseases of Women and Children ;' Dr. H. T. Cleaver, 'On Surgery ;' Dr. John Cleaves, 'Pathological Anatomy ;' Dr. W. A. Colton, 'Materia Medica and Therapeutics.'

"In those days the only means of transportation was private conveyance (there being no railroads in this part of the state). Hotel accommodations not being good, all were entertained at the home of a member, where the meet- ing was held. One pleasant feature was customary, for the wives to accompany their husbands and enjoy the hospitality of the host, which, I assure you, added interest as well as pleasure to the occasion.

"All the original organizers of the society were living when I became a member. It was not only my privilege, but my pleasure, to become intimately acquainted with some of them, and some of whom I considered very dear friends. Joining the society one year before graduating from medical college, I was required to write a thesis on a subject selected by the society and pass examination before the board of censors.

"Remembering my association with these medical pioneers, I wish to speak particularly of some of them, Dr. J. H. Graham being the oldest. He was born in Kentucky, April 22, 1823, and graduated from Ohio Medical College, March 2, 1847. He practiced in Ohio for two years, when he came to Iowa, locating at Morning Sun, where he remained until 1869, when he moved to Grandview. After a few years he returned to Morning Sun and continued in practice until the time of his death, which occurred June 12, 1897. Thus, you see, for fifty years he remained in active practice of his chosen profession. Diagnosis was one of his strong points. He often said to me, 'When you have made a correct diagnosis, it will be very easy to apply the remedy.' He was also a severe critic, and for a time, until I became thoroughly acquainted with him, I thought him to be not only severe, but sarcastic. After I learned to know him, I found this was only outward, for beneath it all, his feelings were of the warmest, kindliest and most sympathetic. At the time of my admission to the society, he was one of the board of censors, and I assure you no question was left unasked ; no criticism unsaid, until I thought he surely 'had it in for me.' This feeling after- ward gave way to one of admiration, and I always am glad of an opportunity to meet him in consultation and ask his advice in difficult cases. I knew I would get an honest opinion, based upon his many years of experience.

"Dr. T. G. Taylor, one of the original organizers of the society, was in active practice in Wapello for many years. He was a native of one of the Carolinas. I have no reliable information from which I can give his biography. It has been reported to me he was not a graduate of any medical college. His manner was very pleasant and affable, winning the confidence of his patients. He moved to Muscatine, where he continued in active practice until his death, which occurred in 1887 or 1888.

"Dr. J. B. Latta, another of the organizers, and» a pioneer physician of Louisa •county, was born in Ohio, November 26, 1823. He graduated from Ohio Medi- cal College in 1849 and located at Grandview, Iowa. I was not as intimately acquainted with him as with some of the other old members, but knew him to

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 261

be a very competent and successful physician and to have had an extensive practice for many years. He later moved to San Diego, California, where he died November 26, 1896.

"Dr. Hiram T. Cleaver was born in Pennsylvania, February 17, 1822. While knowing him, I was never closely associated with him but obtained the follow- ing information from his daughter, Mrs. Dr. Scroggs: 'He graduated at New Lisbon, Ohio, in 1841. While in that institution his tutor in Greek and Latin was the famous Clement C. Vallandinghara, who became so prominent in the history of that section during the Civil war. He read medicine with Dr. T. Green at New Lisbon, with whom he remained for three years. He then formed a partnership with him and practiced there until 1848. He then moved to Wapello, Iowa, and practiced here until 1862. While here he served as state senator from 1854 to 1858. In 1862 he moved to Keokuk and assumed charge of the Estes House Government Hospital. In the same year he was granted a diploma from the College of Physicians & Surgeons, of Keokuk. While there be accepted the chair of obstetrics and gynecology in the college, which position he held until 1881. In 1878 he was one of five delegates from the American Medical Association sent to the British and Foreign Medical Asso- ciation held in Parte, England. He died in Las Yegas, New Mexico, January 11, 1888.'

"Dr. J. M. Robertson, of Columbus City, while a pioneer practitioner, was not a graduate of any medical college, so far as I can ascertain. He was still in active practice in the county when I joined the society, but it was never my pleasure to meet him. He was reported to have had a good practice and was a very successful physician.

"Dr. John Bell, Jr., was one of the original members of the society. He prac- ticed medicine at Wapello for some years, when he removed to Davenport, where he remained several years, then moved to Dallas, Texas. He was a very suc- cessful practitioner. The operation which he performed — removing a bar of lead from Bates' stomach — showed him to be a daring and successful surgeon. This operation was performed before the days of antiseptics, and when very little abdominal surgery had been performed. I had the pleasure of meeting him but once during his life. He died in Dallas, Texas, some twenty-five years ago.

"It would afford me pleasure to go down the line and speak of other pioneer members of the society with whom it was my pleasure to be acquainted. I feel I must make mention of Dr. B. G. Neal, who was located at Columbus City in 1848 or 1849. At that time he was not a graduate in medicine but in 1856 received a diploma from Rush Medical College of Chicago. I have been reliablv informed he performed a "Caesarean Section" in the early '60s near Columbus City, the only time that operation was ever performed in the county, so far as I can learn. He died a few years ago at his home in Columbus Junc- tion, Iowa."

Dr. Grimes might have claimed for the Louisa County Medical Society that it was the first county medical organization in Iowa, as this is undoubtedly the fact.

Dr. B. G. Neal was a printer by trade, also, and, in the printing office of George Paul, at Iowa City set a great part of the type for the publication of the Code of 1851.

262 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

EXTRACTING A BAR OF LEAD FROM THE STOMACH

The operation performed by Dr. John Bell. Jr.. of extracting a bar of lead from the stomach of L. W. Bates, which is referred to by Dr. Grimes in his paper, made Dr. Bell quite famous among the medical fraternity of the country. Dr. Bell wrote an account of this operation, which was originally published in the Iowa Medical & Surgical Journal, of April. 1855. and was republished in the Boston Medical & Surgical Journal, in January, i860. \Ye make the fol- lowing extracts from the article: "On Christmas clay. 1854, I was summoned to see L. W. Bates, aet. 32, who it was said, while performing the feat of running a bar of lead down his throat, had accidentally let it slip, so that it descended into his stomach; but before I left my office, he came in, followed by a crowd. I asked him if he bad swallowed a bar of lead. He said that he had and that it was nothing wonderful for him to do, as he had swallowed a number at previous times. This was said in a half waggish manner, and being to all appearances partially intoxicated and having withal a reputation of being an expert at juggling and sleight of hand. I supposed it to be one of his tricks, anil this opinion was strengthened from the fact that he seemed to be suffering no inconvenience. I believed it to be a hoax; but to satisfy myself further, I passed a sound down the aesophagus into the stomach but could discover nothing."

Dr. Bell then relates in his article that Mr. Bates returned again in a little while, accompanied by Dr. Cleaver, and that after a brief consultation, he and Dr. Cleaver examined him but found no satisfactory evidence of the bar of lead being there. They told Bates to go about his business and if it troubled him any to let them know. It seems that Bates went to work and worked for about four davs, and becoming unwell, sent for Dr. Robertson, of Columbus City, and the latter sent for a number of outside physicians to meet him at the patient's home, which was about six miles from Wapello. Drs. Bell, Taylor and Cleaver, from Wapello, Drs. Robertson and Xeal from Columbus City were there, as well as Dr. Graham, and Dr. Crawford. This was on January 1st. These doctors were unable to convince themselves that there was any bar of lead in Bates' stomach, but they prescribed treatment for him and awaited results. Dr. Bell was called again the next day and found the patient in great suffering, and vomit- ing a dark watery fluid. An examination then convinced the doctors that he had in fact swallowed the bar of lead. On January 3d. Dr. Bell performed the oper- ation in the presence of Drs. Robertson, Cleaver, Graham and Taylor. The operation is thus described by Dr. Bell in the paper referred to:

"The patient having been properly placed and secured, chloroform was ad- ministered. It produced, at first, some nausea, and he threw up a quantity of black, foetid, waterv fluid. As soon as insensibility ensued. I made an incision from the point of the second false rib to the umbilicus, dividing the skin and the cellular membrane ; thence through the abdominal muscles to the peritoneum, which 1 laid hare the whole length of the incision. 1 then made a minute opening at the lower end of the section, through the peritoneum, passed in the director, and with a probe-pointed bistoury divided it through the entire length of the incision. The division of the peritoneum produced a spasmodic contraction of the muscles of the abdomen, and a large quantity of the omentum and bowels was ejected from the orifice. Increasing the chloroform controlled the spasm.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 263

and I replaced the bowels as speedily as possible, and passed my hand inward and upward through the incision, grasped the stomach and immediately discov- ered the bar of lead and its position. It lay in a direction from right to left, the upper end resting against the wall of the stomach to the right of the cardiac orifice; the lower end in the greater curvature of the stomach, to the left of and below the pylorus. As it was impracticable to reach the upper end. I seized the bar between my thumb and middle finger, and with the fore finger on the lower end of it, I retracted it upward and backward for the purpose of making the incision in the stomach as high up as possible. I then passed a scalpel in, along the sides of the fore finger as a director, and divided the coats of the stomach immediately at the end of the bar, making the incision parallel with the muscular fibres, and not larger than to admit of the removal of the lead. I then introduced a pair of long forceps, seized and drew out the lead, and placed the stomach in its natural position. The external orifice was closed with the ordinary interrupted suture and adhesive straps, a compress applied, and a roller around the body. The time occupied in operating was twenty minutes."

Dr. Bell's article then gives a medical history of the case subsequent to the operation, from which it seems that the patient was discharged as cured on Wednesday, Tanuary 17th. This operation is considered one of the most re- markable ever performed. The editor of the Boston Medical & Surgical Journal says of it : "We believe this extraordinary case to be wholly unique in the an- nals of medicine."

The original bar of lead is now in possession of Dr. W. S. Grimes, and at a recent meting of the railway surgeons held in Denver, Dr. Grimes, in response to numerous requests, took the bar of lead there and exhibited it, and read Dr. Bell's report of the case.

Not long after the operation. Bates went to Kansas and soon got into some sort of trouble there. We have no authentic history of him but in the Columbus City Enterprise it was stated in 1859 that a report had come from Kansas that Bates had been hung there for horse stealing. This is certainly a mistake, as Bates was seen by N. W. ("B") McKay in the Missouri Penitentiary in 1861. At that time Mr. McKay was on guard duty, and recognized Bates.

We may add to Dr. Grimes' notice of Dr. Bell that he taught school in Des Moines county in the winter of 1854-5; that he was one of the original mem- bers of the Iowa State Medical Society ; that he was one of the leading demo- crats of the county in his clay, having been at one time their candidate for State Senator. Tradition says that at the time Dr. Bell performed his famous opera- tion, the other doctors present were quite certain that even if the bar of lead could be located and extracted, the patient could not recover ; and some of them were a little nervous at the thought of possible criminal prosecution. Dr. Bell graduated from the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, first practiced at Palmyra, Ohio; then, in 1837, located at Mt. Pleasant. Iowa, and a little later at Columbus City, and settled in Wapello about 1844.

Dr. William H. Darrow deserves special mention. He was an early settler, having come to Columbus City with his father and other members of the family some years prior to 1850. He was born in Summit County, Ohio, August 17, 1838, his father being George Darrow, who, after settling at Columbus City, en-

264 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

gaged in the timber business and at one time had a saw mill on the Iowa river about twelve miles north of Columbus City.

In 1 85 1, when only thirteen, William entered the drug store of Clark & Coi- ton, at Columbus City, where he earned and saved enough to take him through the Keokuk Medical College, at which he graduated in February, 1859. lie at once hung out his shingle at Columbus City. At that time there was probably a surplus of medical talent there, for we find our young doctor, a little later, en- gaged in the grocery business. When Captain John L. Grubb. of Columbus City, got up Company "C" of the 5th Iowa, Dr. Darrow enlisted as a private in that company. This was on July 1st, 1861. He was mustered into service Julv 16th, 1861, and was, about this time, appointed Hospital Steward. On April 30, 1862, he was promoted "Additional Assistant Surgeon," and on September 16, 1862, he was made Assistant Surgeon, which position he held until he was mustered out, at Chattanooga, Tenn., July 30, 1864. his term of service having expired. After his return from the army he practiced medicine at Cairo, in this county, until 1872, when he moved to Columbus Junction, becoming not merely one of its pioneer business men, but also one of its most useful and successful citizens, In 1875, in addition to his medical practice, he engaged in the drug business,, forming a partnership with Mr. G. A. Salmon, which continued for a great

many years. Dr. Darrow first married Miss Clark, a sister of Dr.

William M. Clark, one of his first employers. This was net a happy marriage.

In 1872, he married Miss Emily Frances Weaver, of Marshall Township, and she, with their son. John Donald Darrow, still reside at Columbus Junction, at which place Dr. Darrow died, Sunday, July 15th, 1894.

The sterling qualities of manhood possessed by Dr. Darrow are well at- tested by the affection which the soldiers of the 5th Iowa always had for him, and which led them, on one occasion, to present him with a case of surgical instruments "as a small token of esteem and regard for the unwearied care and great skill with which he treated them when sick and wounded at New Madrid, Tiptonville, Fort Pillow, Corinth, Iuka, Yazoo Pass, Raymond, Jackson, Cham- pion Hill, Yicksburg, and Missionary Ridge." And so long as he continued in practice, he exercised the same "unwearied care and great skill," and his patients had much the same regard for him as did his army comrades.

Ignatius C. Brown, M. D., of Columbus Junction, la, was born in Roane County, Tenn., May 10, 1835, and was a son of the Rev. Thomas and Jane (Mc- Dowell Patton ) Brown. His parents were born in Virginia, and were of Scotcli- Irish descent. Ignatius was educated at Maryville College, at Maryville, Tenn.. and pursued his medical course at the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, Pa., being graduated in the class of '61. He began practice in Eastern Tennessee, at a place called Philadelphia, and in the spring of 1863 removed to Danville, Ind., where he remained one year, after which he became a resident of Columbus ( ity, la., where he pursued the practice of his profession for a term of two years. He next established himself at Clifton, then a thriving station on the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad, in Louisa County, since abandoned. Dr. Brown was the first established physician at that point, where he remained in practice until 1876, and then removed to Columbus Junction, where he was in successful practice up t<> the time of his death. At Danville. Ind., in the month

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 265

of January, 18(14, the Doctor was united in marriage with Miss Ruth A. Ham- let, who was born at Danville, and was the daughter of William Hamlet, Esq. Dr. Brown died March 21st, 1900, and Mrs. Brown died October 18th, 1909.

Dr. Brown was one of the best educated physicians we ever had, and was often called in consultation by the other doctors of the county. He was well informed on general subjects, and, because of his modesty and genial disposi- tion, was a general favorite. He never "dissected" the characters of his profes- sional brethren.

Another Louisa County doctor who deserves special mention was Frank Tustison. He was born January 25, 1837, in Crawford County, Ohio. His father's name was Charles Tustison and was a native of Pennsylvania. The Tus- tison family lived for a while in Defiance County, Ohio, and later in Edgar County, 111. Dr. Tustison studied medicine under the direction of Dr. Hull, a prominent physician of Newville, Ind., where Dr. Tustison had attended school. Dr. Tustison graduated at the Keokuk Medical College in 1864. He practised medicine at Ainsworth in Washington county, Iowa, until 1871, when he moved to Wapello, and later in 1874, formed a partnership with Dr. W. S. Grimes under the firm name of Tustison & Grimes. Dr. Tustison was married three times, his last marriage being August, 1880, when he married Miss Sophia Hook, daughter of George W. Hook, a prominent settler in Jefferson township. Dr. Tustison died in Wapello in the fall of 1900. He was one of the ablest and most successful physicians who ever practised in Louisa County, and had the respect and good will of all who knew him.

The doctors in Louisa County at present are: W. S. Grimes, Wapello; J. II. Chittum, Wapello; E. C. Rogers, Wapello; F. L. Darrow, Columbus Junction; J. L. Overholt, Columbus Junction; F. A. Hubbard, Columbus Junction; M. 11. Summers, Columbus Junction ; J. W. Pence, Columbus Junction ; D. Y. Graham, Morning Sun; W. R. Smyth, Morning Sun; W. S. McClellan, Morning Sun; S. J. Lewis, Columbus City; R. C. Ditto, Oakville; C. B. Childs, Oakville; D. J. Higlev. Grandview; J. C. Armentrout. Lettsville ; T. L. Eland. Lettsville.

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WRIGHT WILLIAMS

CHAPTER XVI. PERSONAL -MENTION.

One of the pioneers who deserves more than a passing notice in this history is Wright Williams, the first county judge of the county, whose picture we have been fortunate enough to get. Mr. Williams was born in Crawford county, Indiana. He came to this county in 1836 and took high rank from the very first among those who were entrusted with its important public affairs. He was elected county commissioner soon a-fter the formation of Iowa territory and held the office from 1839 to September 30. 1844. When the first convention for the purpose of a state constitution was elected, Louisa county had three members. This was in 1844 and Wright Williams was chosen as one of the delegates from this county to that body. Again, after the territory of Iowa was admitted as a state in 1846, Wright Williams was chosen to represent the county in the first legislative assembly and again to represent it in the second legislative assembly. Later, when the governing body of county affairs was changed from a board of commissioners to a county judge in 185 1, Wright Williams was by common con- sent regarded as the best and safest man in the county with which to inaugurate that system, although there were several other aspirants for the place. He held this office until his death, November 21, 1854.

The respect in which Air. Williams was held at that day may be better gath- ered from the following article taken from the newspaper of that time than in any other way. In the Wapello Intelligencer of November 12, 1854, are found the proceedings of the merchants of Columbus City, held November 22d, at the counting room of Wesley W. Garner, for the purpose of testifying their respect for the memory of Hon. Wright Williams. At this meeting the following res- olutions were adopted :

''Resolved, That our places of business be closed this day at two o'clock, and we attend the funeral.

"Resolved, That we condole in the most heartfelt sincerity with his afflicted family, and that Messrs. E. S. Bert. H. R. Moore and Thomas Simpson be ap- pointed a committee to transmit the resolutions to them.

"Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be published in the Wapello Intelligencer at Wapello, Iowa, and the Telegraph at Burlington, Iowa."

The following obituary notice of Mr. Williams appeared in the same paper, December 19, 1854:

"Died at his residence in Wapello, on the 21st inst.. of congestion of the bowels, Wright Williams, in the fiftieth year of his age. The death of such a

267

268 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

man as Mr. Williams deserves more than passing notice. He had been a resident of this county for some sixteen years. During that period it was the good for- tune of the writer of this to share his acquaintance and friendship. Few have lived among us in that time to whom his name and fame have not been familiar. Few men have enjoyed more largely the confidence of the people — always agreeable in his intercourse with his fellowmen, he had the happy gift of a dis- criminating mind, a sound and intelligent judgment and an honest heart. His excellent business qualifications enabled him to perform the duties of the various offices he held in such a manner as to justify their choice. His first appearance in the county seems to have pointed him out as a fit recipient of public trust. Accordingly we find him as early as 1839 elected a member of the board of county commissioners in company with William Milligan and Israel L. Clark. Serving with credit in that capacity, we find him next, in 1854, after an animated canvass against strong competition, returned with W. L. Toole and the lamented Dr. Brookbank. a member of the first convention, for the formation of a con- stitution and state government. We next find him, in 1846, elected a member of the house of representatives, to which place, after serving two sessions, he is re-elected in 1848. Lastly, upon the going into operation of the new code, by the provisions of which the old board of county commissioners was abolished, its powers vested in a single person, we find him in 1851, elected to the re- sponsible post of county judge, which office he held up to the time of his de- cease. The difficult and arduous duties of this office he discharged with ability and to the general satisfaction of his constituents. When this can be said with truth of a man who has had to pass upon for two years and a half the various, difficult and delicate questions which belong to the county court, it will be con- sidered as praise enough."

William Kennedy took an important part in the early public affairs of the county. He was one among the very earliest permanent settlers, having come here probably in April, 1836. He was born in Butler county, Ohio, December 23, 1809. His early education was rather limited, his time being passed mostly among the frontier settlements. In 1837, at a time when Louisa county, under the law, constituted but one township, Mr. Kennedy was elected township clerk, an office which at that time was nearly as important as if it had been called county clerk. Mr. Kennedy settled in Port Louisa township, where he con- tinued to reside up to the time of his death. While he w^as always a farmer, he started, in 1838. what is said to have been the first mill established in the county, and he continued to conduct this enterprise for several years. Mr. Kennedy was a strong whig and later a strong republican, and was a member of the United Presbyterian church.

\\ illiam L. Toole was born in Yirginia. April 6, 1803, his ancestors having come originally from England, and having been among the earliest settlers of Virginia. The father and Mr. Toole, with all the family, moved from Yirginia to Indiana in 1822 and settled near Lafayette in that state. In 1836 William L. Toole came to this county and located near the mouth of The Iowa river. He

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 269

was one of the most prominent figures in the early history of the county, having served in many important public positions. He was elected a member of the first board of county commissioners in 1838 while this county was still in the territory of Wisconsin. He was also elected to the first territorial house of rep- resentatives for the territory of Iowa in 1838 and also to the house of the third territorial assembly in 1840, and to the fourth in 1841. He was likewise one of the Louisa county delegates to the constitutional convention in 1844. It is greatly to be regretted that no adequate biography of Mr. Toole has ever been published and that the material therefor is not now obtainable. One of the most signal and important services which Mr. Toole did for the county was to write a series of articles for the Iowa Historical Record, in which he gave the best account we have been able to find of the early history and early settlement of the county.

Andrew Gamble was born in Belmont county, Ohio, August 1, 1816. His father died when Andrew was but eight years of age and in consequence he was thrown upon his own resources at a very early age. After getting what education he could, as best he could, he taught school for a few years and then moved to Union county, Indiana, where he was elected sheriff in 1845. Soon after this he came to Louisa county, where he engaged in farming in what is now Union township. Mr. Gamble was a man who quickly impressed himself upon those associated with him as being a man of keen discernment and rugged hon- esty. He soon became quite well known in the county, and in 1850 was elected a member of the third legislative assembly of the state. In 1854 he moved from Louisa county to Illinois but after a short stay there, returned to Col- umbus City, where he went into the grocery business and also served occa- sionallv as justice of the peace. During his residence in Columbus City, Mr. Gamble edited the Columbus City Courier for a short time. This was in 1856. In our article on Columbus City we have copied the salutatory editorial written by Mr. Gamble and would commend the perusal of it to all who would under- stand* the frankness and sincerity of this worthy pioneer. Mr. Gamble spent his remaining days in Columbus City, although from 1872 until his death, he was closely identified with the business interests of Columbus Junction. When the Louisa County National Bank was organized at Columbus Junction, Mr. Gamble was made its first president and held that position up to the time of his death. Mr. Gamble had much to do both as a private citizen and as a member of the board of supervisors with the settlement of the Air Line railroad bond troubles and it is quite certain that if the people had given more heed to his advice at the time the controversy first arose, the county would have saved many thou- sands of dollars, and the payment of what was paid, would have been much easier by being extended over a longer period of time.

George F. Thomas was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, in 1816, and came to this county in 1838, settling in Wapello. His grandfather, Michael Fink, served with General Washington in many of the battles of the Revolutionary

270 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

war. Mr. Thomas began his life work as a merchant tailor at the age of nine- teen, and continued that occupation for a number of years after he came to this county. In 1839 he was elected treasurer of the county and held that office under repeated re-elections until 184(1. He also held the office of justice of the peace in Wapello township for five or six years. In 1862 President Lincoln appointed him postmaster at Wapello and he served the people in that capacity so faithfully that he continued to hold the office until 1885. In 1837 Mr. Thomas married Elizabeth K. M'intun, who was a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Jacob Mintun, one of the early settlers of this county. Airs. Thomas died in 1805. Mr. Thomas was a whig for a great many years and became a member of the republican party on its first organization. He became a member of the Methodist church at a very early age and always took a great interest in the work of the church and the Sabbath school.

Edward H. Thomas. The first resident lawyers in this county settled in Wapello in December, 1838. They were Edward H. Thomas and Francis Springer, who came here together from Portland, Maine, where Mr. Thomas was born in 1813. He studied law in the office of Stephen Longfellow, father of the poet Longfellow, and was admitted to the bar in 1835. He resided in Louisa county, in Wapello, for something like twenty vears and afterward lived in Des Moines county for seven or eight years. Later he returned to Portland, where he spent the remainder of his days. .Mr. Thomas was a man of wide reading and fine education, and was an accomplished lawyer. In 1854 he was appointed by Governor Chambers district attorney for the judicial district in which Louisa county belonged, and held that position for two vears. He was married in 1855 to Miss Charlotte A. Dubois. They had two sons. Edward and Charles. Mrs. Thomas died in Burlington, December 28, 1861, and soon afterward Mr. Thomas removed to Portland, Maine. Mr. Thomas was honored and respected by all the early settlers. They called him "Lawyer Tom." For many vears before hi-- death Mr. Thomas was doubly afflicted by the entire loss of his eyesight and the partial loss of his hearing, but he bore his misfortune like a philosopher and nearly al- ways appeared to be in good spirits. He never forgot his early days and early friends in this county and frequently sent a letter or a poem to be read at the old settlers' meetings.

John Deihl came to Louisa county from Franklin county. Pennsylvania, in 1836. At the same time, another pioneer, Philip IS. Harrison, came to the county from Pennsylvania and these two men became partners in a number of enter- prises. They bought or entered considerable land in and about the old town of Florence. Mr. Deihl was a storekeeper at Florence for six or seven years. I Ie was the first and only postmaster at Florence, having been appointed to that office. July 5, 1839. and served until February n. 1846 when the postoffice there was discontinued. Mr. Deihl was also a member of the board of county com- missioners in 1841, 1842 and 1843. He was also a member of the board of super- visors in 1867 and 1868. This was the board that was taken to Des Moines by

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 271

the United States marshal for failing to levy an Air Line bond tax. Air. Deihl made no pretenses to learning but was a man of more than ordinary ability, and of most excellent judgment in regard to business affairs. He was thoroughly honest, frank and outspoken and had no patience with pretenses or shams of any kind. In his early manhood he was a strong supporter of the whig party and naturally became one of the leading members of the republican partv from the time of its organization.

One of the pioneers who had much to do with the early history of the county and the territory was John Ronalds, who was born in Caledonia county, Vermont, July 12, 1799, and died in this county, March 23, 1873. Before coming to Iowa, Mr. Ronalds lived in Indiana and Illinois, settling in the latter state in 1830, at a place then called White's Landing, but afterward called Commerce, and later named Nauvoo. While living in Illinois, Mr. Ronalds was appointed a lieutenant and saw some service at the time of the Black Hawk war, but his command was engaged in guarding some of the settlements and did not participate in any of the battles. Mr. Ronalds with his family came to Louisa county in 1836, crossing from New Boston. Mr. Ronalds was a member of the first county board, called the board of supervisors, which was elected in 1837. He was also a member of the constitutional convention, which framed the constitution of 1846. He was also appointed by Governor Lucas as a colonel in the territorial militia. We give in connection with this sketch facsimile copies of both Mr. Ronalds' military commissions. It will be noticed that the Illinois commission has made a mistake in giving the name "Reynolds" instead of "Ronalds."

Mr. Ronalds was also for many years justice of the peace, having been first appointed in 1838. Mr. Ronalds was a public-spirited man of exemplarv charac- ter and took an active interest in public affairs and the public welfare up to the time of his death. He was elected by the Iowa territorial legislature in 1839, as one of the commissioners to locate the capital of the territory, and for that reason a brief history of the location of the capital will be of especial interest to Louisa county people. The first act on this subject was entitled "An act to locate the seat of government of the territory of Iowa, and for other purposes," approved January 21, 1839, and provided that the legislative assembly should meet at Bur- lington until by proclamation of the governor the public buildings at the perma- nent seat of government should be declared ready for its reception ; and that three commissioners, consisting of one person from each judicial district of the terri- tory should be appointed by joint ballot of the council and house of representa- tives to locate and establish a permanent seat of government. The act also pro- vided that such commissioners, or a majority of them, should, on the first day of May meet at Napoleon and proceed to locate the seat of government at the most eligible point in Johnson county; that they should agree upon a plan and issue proposals for the erection of the necessary public buildings ; and that they should agree upon one of their board to be acting commissioner, whose duty should be to superintend in person the rearing and finishing of the buildings.

Provision was also made for the employment of competent surveyors and other necessary labor, and the laying out of six hundred and forty acres in lots, streets, etc.

272 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

A supplementary act provided that so soon as the place should be selected and the consent of the United States obtained, the commissioners should proceed to lay out a town to be called Iowa City. This act also provided for the sale of lots and named the three commissioners, Chauncey Swan, John Ronalds and Robert Ralston, who were to locate the seat of government and superintend the erection of the buildings.

On March 3, 1839, an act of congress was approved, making a donation of one section of land to the territory of Iowa for the purpose of erecting public buildings thereon. As we have already seen, the act of the territorial legislature provided that the commissioners to locate the seat of government should meet May 1st, 1839. When that day arrived, Chauncey Swan, of Dubuque county, was the only commissioner present. About noon he mounted a dry-goods box and made a short speech to the crowd present. He said that the act of the legis- lature directed the commissioners to meet at Napoleon on the 1st day of May, and that should a majority of them fail to meet there on that day, their actions would be null and void. Mr. Swan then called for a volunteer to undertake to bring another commissioner to Napoleon before midnight. A man named Philip Clark volunteered this service and started for John Ronalds, of Louisa county, the nearest commissioner, who resided thirty-five miles from Napoleon. We quote the conclusions of this matter from Dr. Shambaugh's "Iowa City," from which we have abbreviated what proceeds in reference to the same subject :

"Henry Felkner, who was among the anxious crowd at Napoleon on that memorable May day, continues the narrative as follows: 'Of course there was much anxiety lest the effort should prove a failure. Fears were entertained that ( John) Ronalds might not be at home, or not disposed to come, or that he could not reach the place in time. But these were all idle fears, for as soon as (Philip) Clark told him the situation he got ready at once and they started with the deter- mination to reach their destination in time. While they were going at their best speed the watchers at Napoleon had their doubts and their fears, and as it began to draw on towards midnight, and no tidings, their fears began to give way to despair. (Chauncey) Swan often consulted his watch and then would send some one out to listen. But no sound could be heard. This was repeated frequently, until at last the sound of horses' hoofs were heard in the distance, approaching rapidly. They did not slack up until they had arrived at the place of meeting. And when the riders dismounted and went in (Chauncey) Swan again consulted his watch and found that it was just five minutes to twelve o'clock.' Robert Walker, a justice of the peace, was on hand to administer the oath, which was signed by the commissioners and the date 'May 1st, 1839,' thereunto affixed. It has, however, been shrewdly intimated by one present that perhaps the hands of Mr. Swan's watch were turned back that night; 'for it was noticed that from midnight to sunrise were the shortest six hours on record.' It is not improbable that Mr. Swan did either stop his watch or turn back its hands ; for it is difficult to understand how a man on horseback could travel seventy miles in twelve hours over such roads as existed in the territory at that time.

"On the morning of May 2d the two commissioners, Chauncey Swan and John Ronalds, 'proceeded to examine the county of Johnson with a view to select the most eligible point for said location.' They did some preliminary surveying. The location was finally made on Section Ten, Township Seventy-nine North,

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 273

Range Six West of the Fifth Principal Meridian, on the 4th day of May, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine. The site was indicated by a post or slab, driven in the ground about where the old capitol building now stands, bearing the following inscription :

SEAT OF GOVERNMENT,

City of Iowa.

May 4th. 1839. C. Swan, John Ronalds, Robt. Ralston,

Commissioners. Witness,

Geo. W. Kelly.

J. H. McKenny, Des Moines.

J. W. Isett, Louisa.

J. Dillon, Dubuque.

sec. 10, t. 79, r. C\ w. 5TII MER.

"Robert Ralston, of Des Moines county, the commissioner, who did not appear at the meeting on the 1st of May, arrived at Napoleon on the 6th of May and agreed to the proceedings of the majority of the commissioners. On the "th day of May, Chauncey Swan was appointed by the board 'Acting Commissioner' to superintend in person the affairs in connection with the seat of government."

On June 27, 1839, the board of locating commissioners ordered that Thomas Cox and John Frierson should be employed to survey Iowa City, and L. Judson to draw the necessary plans, and these men, under the supervision of Acting Commissioner Swan, commenced their work on the 1st of July. The second sur- vey, however, was suspended for a Fourth of July celebration. A tall young oak tree, standing on the spot now occupied by the capitol building, was stripped of its branches and made a flagpole and the American flag was placed at the top of it. There was an old-fashioned picnic dinner, after which toasts were offered and responded to and the Declaration of Independence was read. The oration of the day was by John Frierson, and he is said to have delivered his oration standing in a wagon, with one foot elevated upon a barrel of Cincinnati whiskey, and while history makes no mention of the quality of the whiskey, it does say that the oration was a good one. After the celebration, the work of surveying the town was pushed forward rapidly. At the southeast corner of the section a monument of rough gray limestone was erected as a permanent lankmark. This monument is still to be seen on Summit street in Iowa City. There are two in- scriptions upon it. The inscription on the side facing the east reads :

"M. Vanburen

PRESIDENT OF THE U. S. AND

R. Lucas

GOV. OF THE TERRITORY"

274 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

The inscription on the side facing the west reads :

"Iowa City

The Capital of

Iowa Territory

as situated on

Section N° 10.

Township 79 X. R.

6 W of the 5th I" M

located

May 4th 1S39

By Messrs

Chauncey Swan

John Ronalds

and

Robert Ralston

Commrs & Surveyed

B Messrs

Cox Frierson & Judson

under the direction of

C. Swan, ActR Com."

One of the streets of Iowa City running east and west was named after Mr. Ronalds.

It is proper to say that this name is sometimes written Ronald, but we prefer to use the spelling that was common at the time Mr. Ronalds was in active public life.

John Hale was born in Greene county, Ohio. August 8. 1825. and died on Thanksgiving day, November 25, 1909. His parents were John and Asenath (Searl) Hale. His father was a native of Bedford county, Yirginia, and a car- penter by trade. In 1835 the family moved to Putnam county, Illinois, and after- ward lived in the counties now known as Bureau and Marshall. John Hale came to this county September 29. 1839, when he was but fourteen years of age, and his father's family followed in about three months. The only school in the town- ship was at Toolesboro, and it was some years. before any other existed there. During his first four years of life in Jefferson township, Mr. Hale managed to attend school at Toolesboro about two weeks. The rest of the time he worked at whatever he could get to do in the way of carpenter work. His teacher while at Toolesboro was Rev. Fisk, a Presbyterian preacher, who taught, worked in the garden, helped the farmers on week days and preached on Sundays. John Hale soon became an expert with the carpenter's tools and as his father was rather a sickly man. John had the greater share in the support of the family. even when he was but fourteen or fifteen years of age. A little later he attended a six weeks' term of school at Harrison. He boarded with Albert O. Stickney, the father of Mrs. Calista E. Carpenter, and he paid his board in work, but the work was done for Dr. Austin at Toolesboro in the following summer. At that

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 275

time Austin was operating a distillery at Toolesboro and John Hale was doing some work there, when Air. Stickney came from Harrison with an empty barrel in his wagon. Mr. Stickney had a big held of wheat to cut and in those days people thought they could not harvest without plenty of whiskey. The barrel was filled and John Hale paid for his board by paying for the whiskey. This seems strange now, but was nothing unusual at the time. Mr. Hale's father died in 1845, leaving him the head of the family. On July 2, 1848, he was mar- ried to Miss Esther Palmer, a daughter of Nathaniel D. Palmer. This Mrs. Hale died in 1863, leaving four children: Lydia, now Mrs. C. P. Lacey, of Wapello; Izola, who died December 25. 1905 ; Rush, who died at Yillisca, Iowa, about 1902; and Lauren, whose home is in Kansas. On March 1st. 1866, Mr. Hale was again married to Miss Clara Rhodes, of Kossuth, who was a daughter of Grafton Rhodes, an early pioneer of Des Moines county. Six children were born to this union, two of whom died in infancy. Jay, a son, who was a soldier in the Philippine war, died about nine years ago in Kansas. Hal, another son, who married Miss Franc MacFarland, died in Fredonia, Kansas, about seven years ago. Oscar, a son, and Nellie, a daughter, still live in Wapello.

John Hale enjoyed to a remarkable extent the respect and confidence of neigh- bors and acquaintances. He was a school teacher, township clerk, justice of the peace, assessor, school director and secretary of the school board. In 1856 he was elected clerk of the district court and held that office for fourteen consecutive years. He was admitted to the bar while he was still clerk and soon after became a member of the firm of Hurley & Hale, long known as one of the leading firms of the county. Later he became a member of the firm of Hale & Hale, having taken his worthy son Oscar into partnership with him, and he was a member of that firm at the time of his death.

In early life Mr. Hale was a whig in politics and was an active member of the republican party from the time of its organization. It is safe to say that no man who ever lived in the county was ever better informed than Mr. Flale in regard to its early history, and that no one has ever done more to preserve that history and to keep alive the old settlers' organizations than Mr. Hale. He was also a man possessing a keen sense of humor, a good story teller and a good writer of machine poetry on any occasion or any subject. He was also a sincere lover of nature and knew all the wild and tame flowers and shrubs that grow in this vicinity, and always had plenty of flowers about his own premises.

It was the melancholy pleasure of the writer to deliver the address at the funeral of this worthy pioneer, and to pay him the following tribute of respect:

"Friends : We are here to mourn. We are here also to rejoice. We mourn the loss of John Hale, the husband, the father, the brother, the friend, the com- panion, the lawyer, the citizen, the man. But we rejoice that his long and useful life was spent among us, and that we were permitted to know him, and to love him, and to be known and loved by him. We rejoice that in commemorating him, his virtues and character permit us to give full rein to the promptings of our hearts, knowing that we can say nothing true of him that is not good, and nothing good that is not also true. When asked to take part in this service I turned instinctively to the precious paper, now in my possession, written by Mr. Hale concerning my own father. Its first sentences

276 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

are so expressive and appropriate, and tell so plainly why he would not have us unduly mourn for him, that I cannot help applying them to him: 'In the fullness of years he has laid down the burdens of life, and while we cannot but have a natural feeling of regret that we will no more meet him in his accustomed place, yet our better reason tells us that we should feel glad that we have been favored so long by his presence. A life spent as his has been, and spared so long, and ended only when his labors seemed complete, leaves no cause for rational sorrow at its close.'

"And so, in the presence of death, let us think of his life. Let us remember, as he would have us, that life and death are equally certain, and equally common to us all. It is not my purpose at this time to attempt to review the life of our beloved friend. His history is familiar to practically all who are here. And why should it not be? He was the oldest Mason in the county. He was the oldest Odd Fellow in the county. He was the oldest lawyer in the county. He was the oldest man in the county who ever held an important county office, and he held that office as long, I think, as any other man. The universal testimony of those who knew him, is that, in every walk of life, his walk was upright. In every relation of life he was honest, sincere, kind and true. In a time when most people have gone money mad, he neither worshiped the 'almighty dollar.' nor the things for which it stands. But he has left to his family, and to us, a heritage far above wealth or riches. He has left the memory of a man faithful to every trust, and true to every friend, and has exemplified, in a life of over eighty years, the defini- tion of pure religion which we find in the good book: 'Pure religion and unde- filed, before God and the Father, is this, to visit the widow and the fatherless in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.'

"As a lawyer. Air. Hale worked for his clients rather than for himself. He believed in the peaceful settlement, rather than in the strife and war of litiga- tion. He applied to the work of his noble profession the sentiment of the great orator who said: 'As the cedars of Lebanon are higher than the grass of the valley ; as the heavens are higher than the earth ; as man is higher than the beasts ; as he that ruleth his spirit is greater than he that taketh a city ; so are the virtues and victories of peace greater than the virtues and victories of war.'

"His activities in the profession have long since been taken over by his worthy son and partner, but to the old settlers of the county, and to all who take an interest in their history, his death is a los> which cannot be repaired. His was the life, more than any other one, which linked the present of the county with its past. Thus another pioneer has gone. Another of our state builders has ceased his work. But what a work thev have left behind them!

" 'They built the state more glorious than they thought. Those simple carvers of an earlier time. Though rude the tools, and few, with which they wrought. The passing vears have made their work sublime.'

"But what of those pioneers who have gone before? Are the}' building an- other state?" Are they plowing in other fields, or practicing in other courts? The

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 277

unanswered question of the centuries comes back to us, as it came to the patriarch of old, 'If a man die, shall he live again?'

"Today we can at least make answer in the beautiful words of the poet:

" 'To live in hearts we leave behind, Is not to die.' "

The story of Louisa county would not be complete without a sketch of Francis Springer, and it might not be considered appropriate for the editor of this his- tory to write it. We take the following from Mr. George Frazee's pamphlet, en- titled "Our Judges," which was published at Burlington in 1895 :

"Judge Springer was born in Maine, April 15, 181 1. His father. Nathaniel Springer, was a shipbuilder at Bath, of Swedish descent, ruined financially by the embargo. His mother, Mary Clark, was a daughter of Captain John Clark, said to have been a member of the 'Boston Tea Party' of December 18, 1773, subsequently engaged in navigation, and a sufferer from French spoilation prior to 1800, claims for part or all of which were at last allowed and paid to his heirs in 1891.

"At the age of eleven years Francis became a member of a farmer's family in Strafford county, New Hampshire, where he made his home for the next ten years, working on the farm and getting such education as was attainable in dis- trict schools, where 'reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic' were taught during the win- ter, in the intervals some instruction from friends, and in his eighteenth year a full term at the Rochester Academy, at the close of which his preceptor certified that he was qualified to teach school. That winter he taught a country school for the enormous compensation of ten dollars a month and board among his family patrons, and the next year attended another term at the academy and taught another country school, and the two succeeding years he taught village schools — one at Rochester and the other at Farmington — pursuing his studies him- self. In 1833 he returned to Maine and the following year commenced the study of law in the office of William Goodenow, at Portland, at odd times acted as assistant editor of the Portland Courier — then owned and edited by Seba Smith, author of the celebrated 'Jack Downing Letters,' — and was admitted to the bar in 1838; and, being attacked by the western fever, in October of that year, in company with his friend, Edward H. Thomas, who had studied law in the office of Stephen Longfellow, father of Henry W., the poet, and was two years his senior at the bar, started for the unknown but attractive 'far west.' The two came by steamer to Boston, thence by rail and steamer to New York, by rail to Harrisburg, by canal boat to Pittsburg, crossing the mountains by the aid of a stationary engine, by steamer from Pittsburg to St. Louis, by stage to Jackson- ville and thence in open wagon to Burlington. The two pilgrims were seven weeks on the way, including their stoppages for a day or two at the several points mentioned, where they met and conversed with some of the most prominent pub- lic men of those clays, to whom they had letters of introduction. They had in- tended to locate in Illinois, but at Cincinnati, upon the advice of Judge Storer,

278 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

they changed tiieir destination to Iowa, reaching Burlington on Sunday, the 21st day of December, and on that night had a jolly time with the members of the bar, who speedily discovered the musical and social talents of Mr. Thomas, the meeting being followed by an illumination, caused by the burning of a new build- ing in which it was held — ignited, as was supposed, by the accidental dropping of a cigar among the shavings.

"The legislature was then sitting, and they remained in Burlington about a week, making acquaintances with many prominent men of the territory. As a result of their inquiries, they decided to locate in Louisa county. On December 27th they started for Wapello on foot; passed the night in a two-roomed log cabin, ventilated by such openings between the logs as enabled them to watch the stars from their beds, and in the afternoon of Sunday reached Wapello and met there an 'old settlers' welcome.'

'"Louisa county then contained about 1,200 inhabitants. The courts were held in a log cabin, and the grand jury deliberated in an adjacent ravine. Messrs. Springer and Thomas were the first lawyers located there, and at the first term of the court (April. 1839) were retained in forty cases, contested by such attor- neys as Alfred Rich, Hugh T. Reid and Philip Veile, of Lee ; David Rorer, M. D. Browning, W. W. Chapman, James W. Woods. James W. Grimes, and Henry W. Starr, of Des Moines ; Stephen Whicher, Ralph P. Lowe, William G. Wood- ward and Jacob Butler, of Muscatine — all of whom are now deceased. •

"In 1840 Judge Springer was elected a member of the legislative council from the district composed of Louisa and Washington counties and the country west of them, for the third and fourth general assemblies — the third meeting at Burlington, November 2, 1840. and the fourth at Iowa City, convening Decem- ber 2. 1841, and adjourning February 18, 1842. At the general election, in 1842, he was elected from the same district a member of the fifth and sixth general assemblies, the last of which adjourned February 16, 1844. The first state elec- tion was held October 26, 1846, at which Judge Springer was chosen state sena- tor, and served as such in the first and second general assemblies, the last of which adjourned January 15, 1849. In the summer of 1849, and again in 1850, he was appointed special agent of the postoffice department to visit the postoffices in Wisconsin and collect government moneys and transfer them to St. Louis. In May, 185 1, he was appointed by President Fillmore, register of the land office at Fairfield, which office he held until May, 1853. Returning to Wapello, he re- mained there a few weeks and then removed to Columbus City for the purpose of improving his health and improve some farm lands he owned near that place. In 1854 he was elected prosecuting attorney for Louisa county, became ex-omcio county judge upon the death of the former occupant, and was elected to that position in 1855. In 1856 he was a delegate to the first national convention of the republican party, which convened at Philadelphia, June 17th of that year, and nominated Fremont for the presidency, and where he met Henry Wilson, of Massachusetts (afterwards senator and vice-president of the United States), who professed that he had been his pupil at Farmington. In the same year he was nominated and elected a member of the constitutional convention which was held at Iowa Citv in January, 1857, was unanimously nominated by the republican members as their candidate for the presidency of that body, and was duly elected over Judge Hall, the democratic choice. In 1858 he was elected judge of the dis-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 279

trict court for this judicial district, was re-elected in 1862, and again in 1866, and served until November, 1869, when he resigned to take the office of collector of internal revenue for the first Iowa collection district, made vacant by the resigna- tion of General Belknap, who became secretary of war under President Grant, and in this office he remained until 1876.

"Judge Springer was married in December, 1842, to Miss Nancy R. Colman, daughter of Hon. John M. Colman, of Iowa City, a native of Kentucky. She was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, January 8, 1825, and died of pneumonia, at Cimarron, New Mexico, November 12, 1874, while visiting her son Frank. Six sons and two daughters were the fruits of their union. Two of the sons died in infancy and one of the daughters in her second year. Of the sons, Frank, the third, has acquired a high reputation in New Mexico, as a lawyer of great ability; Warren C. was drowned while bathing in the Iowa river, in 1872; Arthur, the fifth son, is an able lawyer residing at Wapello ; and Charles, the youngest son, has resided in New Mexico since 1881, engaged in the stock and ranch business. The only surviving daughter, Nellie, is the wife of Hilton M. Letts, and resides at Columbus Junction.

"In person, Judge Springer is somewhat above medium height, rather slender than stout. In his manner invariably courteous and affable, and in temper and disposition agreeable and kind. As a judge he honored the bench by its occu- pancy ; able, conscientious, impartial, prompt, considerate ; his three successive elections sufficiently assure us that he was as popular with the public as he proved himself satisfactory to the bar. At this writing (May, 1895) he still lives, at the age of eighty-four years, to enjoy the blessing of a well spent life, the love and reverence of his numerous descendants and sincere affection and esteem of the community in which he has lived so long and served so faithfully."

On Monday afternoon, April 11, 191 1, a committee of the Des Moines County Bar Association presented to the district court then in session, a portrait of Judge Springer, which had been donated by his son, Frank Springer, of Las Vegas, New Mexico, in response to a previous request of the bar association. A number of speeches were made on that occasion, and we take the following quotation from the remarks made by Judge J. C. Power:

"Judge Springer's claim to honor does not depend upon anything that we may say here. Peculiar circumstances may for a moment bring those who are very unworthy of recognition into places of power and influence, but without worth they disappear as speedily as they came into view ; but Judge Springer's reputation is built upon a more enduring foundation. On that December day when he and his future associate in practice, Mr. Thomas, started to walk from Burlington to Wapello, with the view of finding a permanent location, he was practically unknown in Iowa ; and yet in a year from that time he had been called by the people of the community in which he had cast his lot, to represent them in an important capacity, and for nearly forty years thereafter, possibly without single interruption, and without at any time ever having met a sugges- tion that he was an office seeker or a mere politician, Judge Springer was called upon to fill positions of continually increasing importance, and discharged all of the duties incident to such responsibilities in such a way as to reflect great

280 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

honor to himself, and to the satisfaction of the people at large. This fact is a more eloquent tribute to his worth and ability than can be expressed in words."

We take the following extract from the remarks made by Judge W. S. Withrow :

"Francis Springer, whose portrait, with others, we here today accept, was one of the men who gave freely of ability and strength in the constructive days of our statehood. ... As has been said by Mr. Blake, he was the president of the constitutional convention of 1857, which prepared and submitted to the people of the young state for their adoption, the constitution which is yet our fundamental law. So well was that work done by Judge Springer and his less than two score associates, that after more than half a century of growth and achievement under it. with but few amendments, that instrument meets in full measure the needs of this commonwealth. The men who did that work built for the future of a virile, hopeful and peaceloving people, safeguarding the rights of the living and of generations then unborn, as does the master engineer in a material way build for the needs and comforts of tomorrow. Judge Springer thus stands in history as the head of that pioneer body of lawmakers who constructed enduringly and well for his chosen state. It was fitting that upon the conclusion of that work he should assume the duties of the bench, and in the old first judicial district, of which Des Moines county was a part, en- force the laws which were based upon that constitution, and uphold the rights guaranteed under it. And this for ten years, as we are told, he did with dignity, ability and impartiality, at all times seeking to do exact justice under the law."

Francis Springer died at Columbus Junction, October 2, t8q8.

One of the pioneers of whom personal mention should be made was William P. Brown, who was born in Kentucky, October 25, 1793, and was married in Jefferson county, Indiana, to Miss Alice Craw ford, who was a native of Virginia. Air. Brown came to Louisa county in a very early day in 1837, or 1838, and entered a claim in Morning Sun township. It is said that his first trip out here was on horse back, and that he came again in 1838 and built his log cabin, the first one built in that part of the county. To raise this log cabin, it took the united efforts of all the settlers living within a radius of ten miles, and also two gallons of whiskey. Mr. Brown came here with his family in 1839. lie died January 28, 1865. He was one of the most active and influential men in his part of the county and was always ready to do his part toward the promotion of any public enterprise. He tried to have the Burlington and Louisa county plank road, which extended as far north as Dodgeville, continued as far as Morning Sun, and he built a bridge across Honey creek for this purpose. He was many times elected a justice of the peace. He was also the first postmaster in Morning Sun, having been appointed at the time that office was established, on June 19, 1851.

Damon Xoble Sprague was born at Exeter, near Cooperstown. New York,

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 281

March 21, 1832. Mr. Sprague's ancestors settled in Rhode Island early in the eighteenth century and many of them took part in the Colonial or Revolutionary war. Mr. Sprague's father, Jenks S. Sprague, was quite a noted physician in his day and was at one time president of the New York State Medical Society. Mr. Sprague received his education at the common schools and at the age of seventeen began teaching and boarding around among the scholars, and in this way he earned money to pay his way through college. He attended the Ilart- wick Seminary and the Delaware Collegiate Institute and a little later began studying law in the office of Spencer & Kernan, at Utica, New York. Roscoe Conkling was at the same time connected with this law office. Mr. Sprague was admitted to the bar in 1854, and in April of the following year located at Wapello. In 1856 he formed a law partnership with Colonel John Bird, which continued until i860. Mr. Sprague was elected representative from the "flotorial" district of Des Moines and Louisa counties in 1857, defeating General Fitz Henry Warren in the two counties by sixteen majority. Mr. Sprague was elected district attorney of the old first judicial district composed of the counties of Louisa, Lee, Des Moines and Henry, and was re-elected in 1874, defeated bv T. A. Bereman in 1878, and again elected in 1882. After his first election as district attorney, Mr. Sprague moved to Keokuk, where he made his home until 1886, returning then to Wapello. Mr. Sprague was always a democrat in poli- tics, but was a strong supporter of the Union during the Civil war and made the first LTnion speech in Louisa county. He was an active member of the society known as the Sons of the American Revolution, and was president of the Iowa State Society in 1900. During his service as district attorney. Mr. Sprague tried a great many important criminal cases and was accounted one of the most successful prosecutors in the state. Mr. Sprague also took a great interest in the history of the county and was for a number of years president of the Old Settlers' Society.

Mr. Sprague was married, June 25, 1863, to Miss Mary O. Isett, a daughter of E. B. Isett, and a most charming and lovable woman. Mrs. Sprague died in 1899. Her death left Mr. Sprague practically alone in the world and his health and strength declined quite rapidly. He died August 12, 1902, at Richfield Springs, New York, while on a visit there, and was buried in the Wapello cemetery beside his wife and little daughter, Helen.

Mark Davison was born near Hull, England, May 7, 1815, and came to this country when but three years old, the family settling in Washington county, Pennsylvania, on a farm. He was married there, in June, 1838, to Miss Eliza Linton, and the marriage ceremony was performed by Ephraim Blaine, justice of the peace, and the father of the late James G. Blaine.

Mr. Davison removed to Iowa in 1840, accompanied by his brother-in-law, Nathan Linton, and both resided in the southern part of the county. Mr. Davison began business as a merchant in Wapello in 1847, ar,d for the remaining fifty years of his life he was closely identified with the business interests of the community and with the public affairs of the county, and deservedlv ranks

282 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

as one of the most prominent and successful of our early settlers. He dealt in nearly all kinds of merchandise, bought and fed cattle and hogs, bought grain and had a large warehouse, or packing house, where he stored the grain and packed pork. His first warehouse or packing house was between Van Buren and Mechanic streets, fronting on the alley not far from the back part of D. C. Thomas' store. In the early days the most of the hog meat brought in was already dressed, as there was very little slaughtering then done in Wapello. Later, about 1859 or i860, Mr. Davison did some business in the old Isett packing house down near where Lou Bourn now lives. Probably few people know that in the early days before corn shellers came into use, the shelling of corn was done bv the corn being spread out on the floor of the warehouse and boys riding around over the corn on ponies. Our friend E. H. Thomas, of Ottumwa, says that he operated one of these pony corn shellers in Mr. Davison's warehouse years ago.

About 1869 there seemed to be a good opening in Wapello for a banking institution, and Mark Davison and George Jamison decided to start one. In a week or two, however, Mr. Jamison decided that he did not care to go into it but Mr. Davison did, and he sold out his mercantile establishment to his son H. B., and opened a private bank. The bank thus started by Mr. Davison con- tinues to this day and is now known as the Commercial Bank and is one of the strong financial institutions of the county. It is owned and conducted by Mr. Davison's son Joiner, and his grandson, R. D. McCullough. Besides his mer- cantile business and banking business, Mr. Davison at one time operated a saw- mill over about Port Louisa.

He also owned and operated several good farms. Mr. Davison died in 1897, leaving surviving him three sons : H. B. Davison, who is now president of the Citizens Bank of Wapello ; John Austin Davison, who is a prominent banker in Wichita, Kansas ; and Joiner Davison, who is president of the Com- mercial Bank of Wapello. He left also one daughter, Mary, who was at the time the wife of J. B. McCullough, but who died in 1901. Mr. Davison's two older sons, Frank and H. B., were in the army, where Frank died.

MRS. JANE MINCHER

The following article is taken from Air. Jamison's historical articles in the Columbus Junction Gazette; it was written while Mrs. Mincher was alive, but it describes so well pioneer experiences, that we have made no change in it :

"One of the interesting characters in the history of Louisa county is Mrs. Jane Mincher, who still lives in Wapello, at the age of a little over eighty years. Since a girl of twelve or thirteen she has been identified with the county ; dur- ing the most of that time in Wapello township, though the first several years in Marshall township. Her father, George Key, was an Indian trader some years before he moved his family to Iowa ; was in Burlington about two years. His home was in Crawfordsville, Indiana. He shipped his supplies by flatboat down the Wabash to the Ohio, down the Ohio to Cairo, thence up the Mississippi by steamer to Burlington. These goods were consigned to John S. David, long

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 283

a prominent man in Burlington, who then had a little clapboarded warehouse down on the levee.

"Mr. Key had been a visitor a time or two over Louisa county and was im- pressed with its rich soil and fine timber lands and streams, so, soon after the Black Hawk purchase, he laid his claim in what was afterwards called Virginia Grove. Think this must have been as early as 1834 or 1835, as the family came here across the country in 1837.

"George Key's claim and first entry was a well known stopping place for years for people on their way to Burlington.

"From Crawfordsville, Indiana, to Louisa county, is about 300 miles. They were nearly forty-five days making the trip, averaging about seven miles a day. That seems like slow moving to us, and it was slow progress even for those times, but it was in the spring of the year; there were few roads and no bridges. They were subject to floods and to oceans of mud. Hardly a day passed that they did not have at least one wagon mired down.

"Theirs was quite a caravan, consisting of three wagons and a two-horse carriage. One of these wagons was an enormous old 'Pennsylvania' wagon as big as an ordinary room. There was an enormous box eighteen feet long, or more, stoutly framed together, the ends being nearly two feet higher than the center, the bottom of the center that much lower than the bottom of either end. To this wagon were attached four yoke of oxen. The other wagon had the old fashioned 'spike' team of three horses ; the carriage, two horses. Besides the wagons and their teams were a drove of young horses, cattle and nearly a hun- dred head of sheep. These necessitated several riding horses to carry the drivers. This live stock partly accounted for the slow progress made, as the live stock, especially the sheep, gave them great trouble in crossing the un- bridged streams.

"Then, as we have already stated, mireing down of teams was of no unusual occurrence. Mrs. Mincher, who rode a horse all the way and assisted in driving the live stock, tells us that it was no uncommon sight to see the help waist deep in the mud and water unloading the wagons of their contents and carrying them out on high and dry ground so they could, by doubling up the teams, pull the vehicles out of the mud.

"The party consisted of twenty-one persons. At the head was Mrs. Key, who, by the way, was a sister of Jacob Mintun who came a few years later, and her family, consisting of four sons and six daughters and ten others, a part of whom Mrs. Mincher has forgotten, but among them was Edward Mincher, whom she afterwards married and Jack Reed, who remained with them many years, but who finally made his home with Zaddock Jarvis, where he died. The others were mostly young men who took this opportunity to come west.

"When they came to Iowa they found Mr. Key waiting for them with a genuine summer home. It consisted of a rail pen, three sides built up solid, the other entirely open, the corners held up by rails butting in from the outside. This was covered with elm bark, put on good and thick and weighted down to hold it in place. It, with the covered wagon, made them a comfortable home until fall by which time Mr. Key had raised a fine crop and built a very fair house, made of framed timbers that had been hewn. This was weatherboarded with clapboards, ceiled with clapboards and roofed with clapboards. This house

284 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

looked pretty well, but it was terribly cold, and the huge fireplaces were worked to their limit to keep the noses and toes from getting frosted.

"That winter mess pork, which in those days meant all the hog, nose, jowls. feet and tail, pickeled. was $21.00 a barrel, flour $12.00 a barrel. But by the next year or two, when they began to have pork to sell, they were forced to take a $1.25 a cwt. for dressed hogs and glad to get the cash at that.

'"They ate little flour that winter, even the most aristocratic of the settlers, and corn meal was often a luxury. There were no power mills nearer than Lowell, on the Skunk river, and it was a journey of several days to patronize it. as teams were frequently kept waiting, day after day, for their turn.

"Now, the present generation would probably resort to parched corn, but we are told, that becomes very monotonous. So the settlers resorted to the home made grater. This was made by punching nail holes through heavy plate tin which was fastened to a clapboard, the tin slightly curved to let the grit drop through. The Key family kept four of these machines in operation weeks at a time. They worked well when the corn was not too ripe, so it would shell off. When it got this ripe, it was necessary to soak the corn before grating it.

"Along towards winter a whole wagon load of corn was shelled, and put in sacks and taken in the old Pennsylvania wagon behind two yoke of oxen to Lowell and ground into meal. This was a real improvement on the grated meal, especially for bread making purposes. The other did pretty well for mush.

"Butter often sold for 5 cents a pound; eggs, 5 cents a dozen or less, and lid regular market for either at these prices. This condition extended over a great many years. An abundance of goods produced at home, a dearth of those shipped in. The Keys and doubtless their neighbors, made most of their clothing out of wool and flax. Mr-. Ley was an adept at this: she had learned it in Virginia, where it had been the custom to do such things from the first. Besides clothing she made the table linen ami all sorts of underwear for the household. The men and boys wore jeans; the women and girls 'linsey-woolsey.' The new made garments were worn on Sundays ; the last year's was used for every dav wear."

Cvril Carpenter was born in Chenango county, Xew York, March 25, 1824. and is a son of Cyril and Amanda 1 .Mason) Carpenter. At the age of thirteen he went to Indiana where he remained for about three years, when he engaged to drive an ox team to Iowa, and arrived in Louisa county on the 17th of October, 1840. locating in Oakland township. He got his start by breaking prairie in various parts of the count), and subsequently entered considerable government land in Oakland township. His first wife was Mary A. Blake. daughter of Joseph Blake, one of the pioneers of Oakland township, for whom Mr. Carpenter drove an ox team from Indiana to Iowa. Sometime after the death of his first wife Mr. Carpenter married Calista E. Stickney, who was a daughter of Albert and Cornelia ( Trask) Stickney, born at Harrison, January 14, 1840. In his early life Mr. Carpenter was a democrat, but about the time the war broke out, he, like Andrew Gamble and many other men of that class, joined the republican party.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 28.')

In 1874 he was elected a member of the Board of Supervisors and served in that capacity for six years. Mr. Carpenter was a firm believer in public improvements, and it was almost entirely due to his efforts that the two bridges across the Iowa river near Columbus Junction were built. The first of these bridges built was the one at Fredonia, and it cost something like $20,000, which was $5,000 more than the supervisors were authorized to appropriate without a vote of the people. At that particular time a vote of the people for a bridge in either end of the county was equivalent to a county seat fight. Through the efforts of Mr. Carpenter and leading citizens of Columbus Junction, that town contributed $5,000 toward the erection of the bridge. The bridge at Todd Town cost less than the amount to which the Board was limited, and was com- pleted and opened for traffic on the 4th of July. 1879, but it was not built with- out considerable opposition on the part of the people from the south end of the county. Mr. Carpenter was a firm friend of Columbus Junction and spent his time and money freely to make it the county seat, and to build and strengthen its educational and commercial concerns. This is especially true of its first bank: but he lived long enough to experience the injustice and ingratitude which sometimes control the actions of soulless men and soulless corporations. He died in March. 1900.

Andrew M. Taylor was born at Woodstock, Shenandoah county, Virginia, De- cember 14, 1822, and came to Wapello from Springfield, Ohio, in the fall of 1 85 1. While at Springfield he had invented a wool carding machine, and soon after he came to Wapello he and a man named Jerome Gibbs put up a building- near the old grist mill and did wool carding for a while. Mr. Taylor sold the building to Gibbs and afterwards it was used for a saw mill.

Taylor was elected Sheriff in 1853, 1855, 1857 and 1859. He organized Company "G" of the 19th Iowa Infantry and was commissioned captain on Au- gust 21. 1862. He was wounded severely September 29, 1863, at Atchafalaya, Alabama, sometimes called Sterling Farm. He was taken from there to New Orleans to the old St. Louis Hotel, then being used for a hospital, and died there of his wounds November 4th. 1863.

Captain Taylor was one of our most popular and competent sheriffs. At the time he raised his companv he was presented with a magnificent sword and belt. Some years after the war, his son Ed. tried to locate and secure this sword. Through the efforts of Major Merrick, an ex-confederate soldier, of San An- tonio, Texas, it was learned from the man who shot Captain Taylor at Atchafalaya. that the sword was given by him at the time into the possession of Captain Oaks of Columbus, Texas. This sword was in the possession of Captain Oak's widow for a time, and is now believed to be in possession of the Masonic Lodge at Col- umbus. Texas. Efforts are still being made to secure the return of the sword to Captain Taylor's family.

Tt is in honor of Captain Taylor that the Wapello G. A. R. Post is named.

One of the earlv settlers of this county who deserves special mention is George Gillaspv, though in the early county records the name is misspelled in var-

286 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

ious ways. Of him, Hon. Edward Johnstone, writing in the Iowa State Register soon after his death, said: "Evidently reared amid surroundings of a somewhat rude life, without early or late privileges for education, a rail-splitter, wood- chopper and bull-whacker, he grew up to be one of the most noted men of the state. By constant contact and struggle with the world, and a keen observer of men * he made himself a fair scholar, a public speaker of unusual

force, and one of the most attractive talkers I ever heard." From the foregoing it may be imagined what his life was in the early days in this county. He was frequently engaged in quarrels and fights, but usually came out of them with the respect of those who knew the circumstances. He occasionally served as bailiff of the Court. On one occasion he was indicted for an assault with intent to com- mit murder. He was found guilty by a jury, and his punishment fixed at a fine of $15.00 and imprisonment for one hour. He took a sudden notion to abandon his wild life and began work for a farmer. He persevered, and after accumulating a little means, went to Ottumwa, and was for many years the leading citizen of that city, and died there in the winter of 1881-82. He was a member of the Constitutional convention in 1857, and was at one time the Democratic candidate for Governor, and made an active campaign over the entire state.

Samuel K. Helmick, one of the honored pioneers of the county, whose por- trait we present in this connection, came to Louisa county in 1840. At that time he was twenty years of age. He was a man of more than ordinary education, and this, combined with his high character and intelligence, soon won him a posi- tion of prominence and influence in the county. He was one of the clerks of the first constitutional convention held at Iowa City in 1844. He was sheriff of the county during the years 1850. 1851, 1852 and 1853. During part of his term as sheriff, the sheriff was ex-officio county assessor. In private life he was a genial, whole souled man and was always ready to give his time and use his in- fluence for the good of the community. He was a prominent Mason and was one of the leading members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Columbus City.

DANIEL II. REYNOLDS.

It is not generally known that a Louisa county citizen became a Confederate general, but such is the fact. Daniel H. Reynolds, was born near Centerburg, Ohio, Dec. 14, 1832, of Virginia and Maryland parentage. Came to Louisa county in 1854. and while here read law. He went to Tennessee in 1857 and was admitted to practice law at Somerville, in that state, in 1858. Soon after he re- moved to Lake Village, Ark. In 1861 he entered the service of the Confederate states in Company "A" of the First Ark. Cavalry. He became Captain on June 14, 1861, and was rapidly promoted, becoming major and lieutenant colonel in 1862 and colonel in 1863; in 1864 he was made brigadier general and assigned to command Reynolds' brigade.

He was in many notable battles of the war, in several of which Louisa county soldiers were engaged. One battle he was in was called by the Confederates the

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 287

battle of Oak Hills, Mo., but we know it as "Wilson's Creek"; another was called Elkhorn, Ark., but we speak of it as "Pea Ridge." lie was also at Chickamauga, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, and through the Atlanta campaign in the summer of 1864. He was in the battle of Bentonville, N. C. on March 19, 1865, and like our own Capt. W. G. Allen, lost a leg at that place.

For the foregoing particulars in regard to Gen. Reynolds we are indebted to the Confederate Veteran of Nashville, Tenn., of date May 11, 191 1; that paper also stated that he was then living at Lake Village, Ark., but in response to a letter addressed to him, we learned from his widow that he died March 14, 1902. She also stated that he came to Louisa county in the fall of 1854, taught school for some months and read law, and removed to Tennessee in 1855.

CHAPTER XVII. VILLAGES AND TOWNS.

Louisa county has never lacked for towns or town sites, but many a once pretentious town or prospective city has long since given way to the corn field or the pasture. The county now has Wapello, Columbus Junction, Morning Sun, Columbus City, Oakville, Grandview, Lettsville, Cotter or Cotterville, Wyman, Cairo, Fredonia, Elrick Junction, Toolsboro, Marsh, Gladwin, Newport and Bard, being seventeen in all. A few of these places are little more than railway stations, and can hardly be said' to have any special history distinct from that of the neighborhood in which they are situated ; others doubtless have some inter- esting matter connected with their growth which has escaped us. In addition to existing towns, there are those which are past and gone. The list of these is as follows : Cuba City, Tecumseh, Sterling, Yellow Banks, Iowa Town, Florence, Harrison, Pittsburg. Cateese and Port Allen, all on the Iowa River ; Burris City, Port Washington and Port Louisa on the Mississippi ; the list also in- cludes Hillsboro, Lafayette, Altoona, Odessa. Virginia Grove, Hope Farm, Can- nonsburg, Clifton, Spring Run, Oakland, Palo Alto and Forest Hill. Perhaps we should also include Walling's Landing, as this existed before Port Louisa was started and was quite a well known shipping point in the early days. There was also the old town site of Columbus City. There were two Port Louisas, one of them sometimes called West Port. We should also include Lower Wapello, as that was probably entirely distinct from the present city.

Of some of these ancient villages we know even less than we do of the works of the Mound Builders, for in regard to the latter, we at least know their loca- tion, and this is more than we know about a few of our early towns.

Mr. Toole in the Annals of Iowa for 1870 says: "In its early days it (Louisa county) had a full share of speculative or prospective cities, in the eyes of the proprietors, that are now dead or extinct towns and embraced in boundaries of corn fields, viz : Beginning at the mouth of the Iowa river it had first, Cuba City, next Sterling, Tecumseh. Yellow Banks, Iowa Town, Florence, Harrison, Pitts- burg and Cateese all on the Iowa river."

We may assume that Cuba City was quite near the mouth of the Iowa river, and it was probably at this place where Lieutenant Lea was refused shelter in February, 1836. "in the only house there, occupied by a drinking crowd of men and women." Sterling, sometimes called Mt. Sterling, was afterwards added to Toolesboro as Frank's addition.

We have no information as to the exact location of Tecumseh, nor of Yellow Banks, but it is probable that Yellow Banks was situated on the north side of the Iowa river near the Oakville bridge, as that place has always been known as

289

290 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Yellow Banks. The early settlers claimed that there was a French trading house at Yellow Banks long before the Black Hawk war, and that the remains of the buildings were to be seen there when the county was first settled.

IOWA TOWN.

Iowa Town was one of the very earliest trading points in the county, and was probably situated in section 27-73-3 Just west of Iowa slough on the bank of the Iowa river. At the first term of Court in April, 1837, Rufus P. Burlingame procured a ferry license to run a ferry across the Iowa river at Iowa Town.

The first tavern license issued in the county was granted to William Dupont July 11. 1837, and was for Iowa Town for one year from that date. This tavern license was granted by the Board of Supervisors, our first county board, and at the meeting at which it was granted, the tavern rates for Louisa county were established. The price for a night's lodging was \2.y2 cents; for a meal 37^ cents, and for board by the day, $1.00. At that time a tavern license included also the right to sell liquor, and the board fixed the price for every drink of liquor at I2J4 cents.

An election was held at "Towatown," on March 5th. 1838, and, from the names of the voters it is likely that this was then the voting place for all of the present township of Eliot, the lower part of Wapello township, and probably a part of Jefferson, because Christopher Shuck was one of the judges of the election. Iowa Town was in Florence precinct, beyond a doubt, but the precinct boundaries were not defined at that time, so far as we can find.

From the records of one of the early lawsuits we can obtain a fair idea of the kind and quality of goods kept in a "town" store at the first settlement of the County. It appears that Rufus P. Burlingame. who owned the Ferry at Iowa Town, also had a store there, and that in June, 1837, while this county was in Wisconsin territory, Samuel Smith, our first sheriff brought an attachment suit against Burlingame for $750.00. The writ was served by Isaac Parsons, cor- oner, and the return shows that he levied on a stock of goods, and that this stock was inventoried by Charles B. Field and William Guthrie. The total inventory, including a $25.00 ferry boat amounted to $2,913.76. We take the fol- lowing items from the inventory:

Palm Leaf Hats $ 8.20 Coffe 25.00

Fur Coats 20.00 1 Box Prunes 2.00

Razors & Straps S^.-yj Mackeral 8.00

Tobacco 62.00 Seal Caps 37.50

Calico 199.00 Silk Hats 88.00

Silks & Crapes 18.75 Cutlery &c 45.00

Ready-made clothing 334-75 I-ace and Muslin 312.04

Satinetts 57.00 Circassian 11.30

Satinetts 32.24 Shell & Horn combs 78.25

Bombazetts 4.78 Beaverteens 10.56

Cambrick 20.88 Blankets 80.00

Vesting 4545 Cloaks 12.00

Cassamere 23.00 Mereno cloth and Bombazetts. . 41.77

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 291

Broad cloth 85.20 Handkerchiefs !7-SO

Camlet 33.75 Ribbons 10.00

37-5 Brown Holland Cotton Flannel

Bar soap 2.00 ., ,- ,, ,,

1 (.V hncev 84.85

Sugar 96.00

Shirts & Stockings 63.56' Flred°gs J-25

Shirts &c 49.92 Nails ^-oo

Socks & Stockings 25-72 Shawls & Hdkfs 42.21

Crockery 70.87 Gloves 21.75

About this same time William Dupont was granted permission to build a bridge across Iowa Slough on the road to New Boston, and the rates of toll were fixed at one half of the ferry rates on the Iowa river, but whether the bridge was ever built, or not, it is certain that Iowa Town soon disappeared. If it was ever "laid out" or platted, the record can not now be found.

FLORENCE.

John B. Newhall, of Burlington, in his "Sketches of Iowa" says that he was at one time a part owner of the town site of Florence, and that it was at one time the home of Black Hawk and Keokuk. According to Mr. Newhall, it was the rallying point for the followers of Black Hawk before they crossed over into Illinois to begin the war of 1832. It was also the place known in the Indian treaty of 1832 as "Keokuk's Principal Village."

The town of Florence was not laid out, of course, until after September, 1836, but if it was ever platted there is no record of it now. It was a place of some importance from about 1838 until 1846.

William Phinney began keeping tavern there in April, 1838. Philip B. Har- rison was granted a ferry license by the District Court in April, 1837 "at the town of Florence."

John Deihl was appointed postmaster July 5th, 1839, and continued in that office, until it was discontinued on Feb. nth. 1846. During most if not all of this time Mr. Deihl kept a store there. Silas Foster also kept store there in 1839, and Calvin Donaldson began mercantile business there in January, 1841.

TOOLESBORO.

Toolesborough was laid out by William L. Toole on the northwest quarter of section 11, township -jt,, range 2. It appears from the certificates on this plat that the original was filed for record with J. S. Rinearson, recorder for Louisa county, Wisconsin Territory, on July 23, 1837, and was re-entered for record on May 7, 1840. There is a certificate of John Gilliland, county surveyor, dated May 2, 1840, stating that he had examined by actual survey and admeasure- ment the plat and plan of the town of Toolesborough heretofore laid out by William L. Toole, situate in the northwest quarter of section n, 75-2, and that it corresponded "with the plan to which these marginal notes are annexed."

Frank's addition to Toolesborough was laid out by Franklin Bras, May 10, 1856, on lot No. 6 of section n, 73-2.

292 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Toolesboro was the first place settled in the county and at that time was called Black Hawk. It was for man)- years the manufacturing and commercial center of the county. When it was first settled the Iowa river ran close under the bluff and near the town, and there was good river communication for seven or eight months in the year. It was the pioneer port of entry for Louisa county. It also had the first postoffice in the county, having been established May 27, 1837, with William L. Toole as the first postmaster. Flisha Hook was appointed post- master May 5, 1838, and William L. Toole was again appointed May 3, 1842. Charles N. Cleveland was appointed June 26, 1845. Jared H. Trask was ap- pointed February 2, 1846. Nathaniel G. Fitch was appointed January 21, 1847. William L. Toole was again appointed April 20th. 1848. Tared H. Trask was appointed a second time on February 28. 1851. William L. Toole was appointed for the fourth time on August 4, 1852. Robinson C. Palmer was appointed June 10, 1856. Albert W. Parsons was appointed July 17, 1856. George W. Graves June 25, 1858. Geoige II. Mosier September 18, 1861.

Toolesboro is one of the most beautiful locations to lie found anywhere. There is probably no more sightly place anywhere on the Mississippi river. Standing on one of the mounds that fringes the brow of the bluff, the eye can sweep across tree tops and river fully ten miles to the bluff on the opposite side, and up and down the Mississippi for twenty or thirty miles.

In its palmy days Toolesboro had two distilleries, three mills, for grinding corn, one fur wheat, as well as some good stores and a fair sized warehouse.

John Hale said that when he came to Toolesboro in 1839 the following houses were to be seen, viz : On the hill were W. D. Palmer's, then Cadwell's, who kept a little store and a big barrel of whiskey, and afterwards had a dis- tillery under the hill; William L. Toole's store and postofHce; then Elisha Hook's and a log schoolhouse opposite. This was the first school building built in Louisa county; a cabin near Hook's, occupied by some family forgotten. Nearby was a double log cabin occupied by Maximilian Eastwood, and in flaming red letters the sign: "M. E. Inn." This was probably the first tavern in Louisa county. Close to this was another cabin occupied by Simeon Bartemas and wife.

Under the hill were the following buildings : One occupied by a family by the name of Mitchell; next George W. Fleming's, then Henry Sheets, his wife and sister, Mrs. Ruth Guest ; Jonas Ruffner's house, and nearby his grist mill. He ground both corn and wheat but couldn't bolt the flour ; this was sifted by the housewives at home. William Medler's and another cabin, and a sort of tenement house completed the list.

C. H. Fisk was the first permanent preacher located here, but the noted circuit rider of the .Methodist church, Peter Cartwright, is believed to have preached here at a very early day. At one time the Rev. G. N. Power, a brother of Judge J. C. Power of Burlington was the regular Methodist minister sta- tioned at Toolesboro, and spent a winter there.

For a description of the "Old Fort" at Toolesboro, see the chapter on the "Mound Builders."

Ezra F. Dennison who was perhaps the leading merchant of Toolesboro in his time, and also a pork packer, is said to have had the biggest wedding ever "pulled off" in this part of the country. It took place on July 12th. 1842, under a big oak tree, at the foot of the bluff almost on the line between Louisa and Des

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 293

Moines counties. The bride was Miss Mary L. Staige, daughter of Richard Staige, a prominent settler and land owner in what is now Eliot township, lie owned the Edwards farm. The marriage ceremony was performed by Justice Bras, while the bride, groom, and about ioo guests were all on horseback. After the ceremony the entire company went to the home of the groom at Toolesboro. The ferry boat and a dozen or more skiffs put them across the Iowa river in time for a big dinner, at which there were something like 500 guests. John Male built the big oven, in which the pigs, turkeys, chickens and ducks were roasted.

Geo. H. Mosier was for a long time the merchant of Toolesboro, and ranked among the best merchants, and among the leading public men of the county.

John Dennison about 1846 made crocks in Toolesboro for several months.

At one time Toolesboro had an incorporated manufacturing concern. In February, 1844, the Legislature incorporated the "Toolesboro Manufacturing Company" with William Shepherd, Daniel West, H. D. Smith, Ezra F. Dennison, Jonathan Parsons and William L. Toole as incorporators. The capital stock was limited to $40,000.00 in shares of $100.00 each, and the company was author- ized to take from the Iowa river sufficient water for their purposes at a point on said river nearly opposite Iowa Town, and convey the same over or through any suitable grounds by means of a canal, race or water-way to a point at or near Toolesboro.

HARRISON.

There is no record of. the original plan or plat of the town. The earliest record we have is in the old plat book and this appears to have been a re-survey. We quote from the record as follows : "Plat or plan of the town of Harrison. This town re-surveyed and laid out by William Kennedy is situate on the east side or left bank of the Iowa river in the county of Louisa. The lots are 60 feet front by 142 back, with the exception of those fronting said river which are 50 feet front by 132 back. Main street is 84 feet wide, all others 66. The alleys are 15 feet wide. The bearings of the street are north 40 degrees east, by south 50 degrees east, etc.'" This re-survey is certified to by John Gilliland, county surveyor, on May 11, 1841, and was acknowledged by William Kenned)' before J. J. Rinearson, justice of the peace, July 2, 1841.

Harrison was laid out by William Kennedy with the intention and expectation of making it the county seat. It was at one time quite a lively place for that early day.

J. R. Rockafellar had a license to sell merchandise there in 1830,; we are not certain whether or not he was the first merchant there. There was a mill, a schoolhouse, and a number of other stores.

Harrison was a candidate for the county seat at the election in 1839 along with Fredonia and Wapello, but the returns of that election cannot be found.

The town of Flarrison was started as early as 1837, for we find in the records of the first Board of Supervisors an account of holding a meeting at Harrison during that year.

One of the first doctors in the county was Reuben S. Searl, who lived at Har- rison, and later, about 1840, Dr. Harris Howey resided there.

For a number of years there was a ferry across the Iowa near Harrison.

294 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

In addition to Harrison, four other towns have been platted in Port Louisa township, as follows: Port Washington in 1848, Port Louisa in 1849, Port Louisa again in 1854, and Odessa in 1861.

The earliest place in Port Louisa of any business importance was called Wall- ing's Landing, which, as we understand it, was about the same place as was platted for the town of Port Louisa as afterward laid out by John C. Lockwood in 1854. This was the shipping point for a large part of the county prior to the advent of the railroads, and at one time there was a great deal of business done there.

There was, as noted above, a Port Louisa laid out by Henry Rockafellar in 1849, considerably west of the place we understand to have been Wallings Land- ing.

No postoffice seems to have been established at any of these Port Louisa towns except Harrison.

We notice from the early road records that Walling's Landing was a well recognized point as early as 1842-43 and continued to be so probably until 1849, as notices were circulated for public meetings there as late as 1847.

In 1 85 1 Lockwood & Fleming advertised in the Louisa County Times as hav- ing a store at Port Louisa. This was probably at the town platted by Henry Rockafellar. In February of the same year there was an advertisement contain- ing a notice of the proposed incorporation of the Port Louisa, Wapello & Vir- ginia Grove Plank Road & Bridge Company, of which J. W. Isett was president; J. C. Lockwood, secretary, and H. Rockafellar, treasurer. A little later in the year this company advertised for sealed proposals for throwing up and grading about 2,000 feet of the road between the bluff and the town of Port Louisa.

In the Wapello Intelligencer of May 24, 1853, there is a lengthy communica- tion from J. C. Lockwood, concerning the affairs of the Port Louisa, Wapello and Virginia Grove plank road, in which, among other things, he states that the original stock subscribed west of the Iowa river was $840, and east of the Iowa river was $1,620, on which there had been collected up to date $1,095, and the company had paid for bridge timbers, etc.. $577.70, and had paid Henry Thomp- son on contract for building the embankment, $517.92, and that there yet re- mained to be done work between the highlands and Muscatine slough amounting to about $1,600.

Tn the Intelligencer of March 6, 1854, is the first notice of the sale of town lots in Port Louisa :

"Here's a Chance for Business Men.

We will offer at public auction on Tuesday, the 2d day of Mav, 1854, the following Real Estate :

75 Building Lots

(being the first sale)

In the Town of Port Louisa.

Iowa.

Embracing the most desirable sites for Stores, Warehouses, Shops and Dwell-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 295

ingS — on a part of which such buildings are already erected and if desired will be sold with the Lots. Also a

NEW STEAM SAW MILL.

With rotary and Lath Saws attached, now doing a good business. Also a

STEAM FLOURING MILL,

in the vicinity in good running order, with a good run of Country Custom.

Sale to be made on the premises commencing at 12 o'clock m., when terms will be made known. For particulars apply to the subscribers on the premises, or by mail through this office.

Lockwood & Williamson."

The Port Louisa plank road from Port Louisa to the bluff west of that village was finished late in the winter of 1853-4. The stockholders of the company had a meeting at Port Louisa, on Saturday, February 11, 1854, for the purpose of establishing the rates of toll. These rates were established as follows: For a wagon with two horses, mules or oxen, 15 cents per trip; for wagon with one horse, mule, or ox, 10 cents ; for wagon once passing, 10 cents ; for every addi- tional horse, etc., in a team, 5 cents : for horseman on horseback, 10 cents ; for footman, 5 cents : for loose cattle, 2 cents ; hogs, 1 cent ; sheep, 1 and 2 cents : persons going to and from church and funerals, and children going to and from school, free.

At this time Port Louisa was thought to be destined to be quite an important place. It had the only good landing on the Mississippi river in this county. It also had a most complete sawing establishment ; and there was a good steam grist mill but a short distance from there. There was usually a large amount of pine lumber on hand at the sawmill, being brought down by rafts on the Missis- sippi.

In the Wapello Intelligencer of March 4, 1856, George Hutchinson, "for- warding and general merchant" at Port Louisa, gives the "exports" from that point during the previous year as follows : 22,052 sacks of wheat, 9,690 sacks of oats, 1,231 sacks of rye, 13,660 sacks of corn, 205 sacks of potatoes, 144 sacks of flaxseed, 26 sacks of mustard, 326 pounds of pork, 8,022 pes. bulk meat, 85 sacks of hams, 956 bbls. of lard. (A sack is about two bushels.)

The paper claims that there was more than that shipped from Wapello & Toole's Landing and via Burlington & Muscatine.

In the Wapello Republican of January 3rd, 1861, Hutchinson & Berner of Port Louisa have a large advertisement of their dry goods, clothing, grocery and notions store and state that they have "unsurpassed facilities for storing grain," and "pay the highest prices for wheat, corn and pork" and "press and bale hay on short notice." Notwithstanding the fact that Port Louisa township has been, most of the time, without any town, its citizenship has always ranked with the very best in the county. In the early days, as well as later, a strong religious sentiment prevailed there, and there have been a great many United Presbyterian families among its settlers. For the names of the prominent early settlers the reader is referred to the chapter on townships. The following are the particu- lars as to the laying out of the four towns referred to, as shown on the town plat book in the Recorder's office :

296 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

PORT WASHINGTON,

laid out by William Hardin and William Johnson on lot No. 2, section 8, town- ship 74 north, range 2 west, on the bank of the Mississippi river. This would be in the northeast quarter of section 8, surveyed by A. D. Hurley, county sur- veyor, September 26, 1848.

PORT LOUISA,

laid out by Henry Rockafellar, proprietor, October 20, 184'), on the north end of the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 7 and the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 6, township 74 north, range 2 west, surveyed by A. D. Hurley, county surveyor. This was west of Port Louisa and sometimes called West Port Louisa.

PORT LOUISA,

laid out by John C. Lockwood, surveyed by John R. Sisson, county surveyor, March 20, 1854, and acknowledged by John C. Lockwood, April 4, 1854. It was laid out on the bank of the Mississippi river, immediately south of what is known as the cut-off of Muscatine slough on lot No. 4, in section 5, township 74 north, range 2 west.

ODESSA.

laid out by M. P. Yanloon, May 15, 1861, on lots 1 and 2 in section 18, township 74 north, range 2. The east end of block 1 extends to the main channel of the lake. The west edge of the alley passes through the quarter section corner, being sections 7 and 18.

FREDONI \

was laid out by Alvin Clark in July. 1840, and the plat is surveyed by John Gilli- land, county surveyor, under date February 12, 1846. The town was situate on the east bank of the Iowa river, immediately below the junction of the Towa and Cedar rivers in section 20. township 75 north, range 4 west.

VLIMEDA,

a part of Fredonia. was laid out by James Waterbury, July 28, 1859, in the south- west corner of the northeast quarter of section 20, 75-4.

It is often said that Fredonia came near being the capital of Iowa ; that it only lost it by one vote. Sometimes the number of votes lacking is given at three, etc. There is really no foundation for the story, in the way in which it is usually told. Neither Fredonia, nor any other place in this county, ever had any chance to be the capital. It is true, however, that Fredonia, Black Hawk, Wapello and many other places were proposed and voted for in the House of Representa- tives, while there was a contest going on between Mt. Pleasant and Iowa City, and that they only lacked from one to three votes of a majority in the House. This was in the winter of 1838-9; but there was never any serious intention of

Southwest from Bund Stand

Northwest from Band Stand

n 8 n

1 I

Cherry Street Looking South

,,.-.— '.

"""—-..

sniiiliS n t itiiii

Northeast from Band Stand Southeast from Band Stand

SCENES IN LETTS

LBNM an'O

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 297

locating the capital here, and the name of Fredonia was never even voted upon in the Council.

Enoch K. Maxson was the first doctor in Fredonia ; he had a "grocer's license" in 1840, as did also Mrs. Lucinda Bliven, who afterward married William Todd.

In July, 1839, Marvel Wheelock was licensed to keep a tavern at Fredonia, and also to run a ferry across the Iowa river "below the forks."

Lotrip Darling, an early settler in Concord township, or rather, Fredonia township, as it was first called, was the first blacksmith in Fredonia.

The railroad reached Fredonia in 1857, and ran its first train east from there on July 4th of that year. George Haywood was the first agent.

John Bryson sold lumber there after the railroad came, then went to Colum- bus City, and later to Clifton. Fredonia was something of a "seaport" in the days of traffic on the Iowa river, but what little we have learned about that is to be found in the chapter on transportation.

A series of meetings were held at Fredonia in 1842 by Rev. James L. Scott, who made a missionary tour from Rhode Island to the great west that year, and published a journal which contains some interesting items about Fredonia, Hills- boro and that vicinity. Mr. Scott's journal says that he traveled from Burling- ton to Fredonia May 25, 1842, and gives the distance as forty-four miles. Aside from a few newly commenced settlements and an occasional grove he found the scene along the way practically the same, being "an unbounded sea of prairie." At twilight he reached the Towa river, his patience being sorely taxed by the indolence of the lads who tended the ferryboat at Clark's ferry.

He describes Fredonia as "A small village, situated on the bank of the Iowa river, just at the junction of the Iowa and north fork of the Cedar rivers. I have often thought while here that' they had as commodious a location for a large town as I ever saw in the interior of a country." He noted the fine timber all around, which seemed to him to be much taller than that in Illinois, and noted also that they were then erecting a steam sawmill opposite Fredonia.

Referring to Hillsboro. which is better known now by the name of Toddtown he says : "Hillsboro is conveniently located for a harbor and town, and had already begun to erect its edifices. It lies on the opposite side of the river from Fredonia, and about one mile above on the Iowa branch. Through it a terri- torial road passes from Burlington to Iowa City. Here Captain Wheelock keeps a commodious ferryboat." He also refers to several "neat buildings" that had just been commenced.

He has this to say of Columbus City, although he gets the name slightly wrong. "About three miles back on the route to Burlington is Columbia City, a small village, but I cannot now see what will keep it alive, as it is situated on a dry prairie. It has. however, a very pleasant location."

In the latter part of May, Rev. Scott began a series of meetings at Fredonia. Of the first one he says : "At eleven o'clock the people began to flock to Fre- donia and we listened to a discourse from a Methodist brother. At two p. 111. I addressed the congregation and commenced a series of meetings which were kept up as much as consistent until my health completely failed, and I was obliged to leave a weeping and anxious people. . . . Four o'clock p. m. I addressed a congregation of anxious hearers. Many came from distance. Had a meeting again in. the evening. Sinners began to inquire the way to heaven."

298 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Under date of May 27th is the following report in his journal : "Took a circuitous route back of Fredonia (probably east) through the prairies, inter- spersed with groves. We traveled on a ridge of land which led us through one plantation where was about 800 acres under cultivation. On either side of the road were large fields of wheat, corn, oats and potatoes. . . . We kept the ridge for some distance and were able to survey much of the surrounding country, which for picturesque scenery and agricultural conveniences surpasses every- thing I ever saw before, or expect to see again."

On the 28th. which was Sabbath, the reverend gentleman held services and then went to Osceola, or Hillsboro, and spent the night. On the next day he passed down the river from Hillsboro to Fredonia in a canoe in company with Captain Wheelock and lady. On this day the people gathered from far and near and the good man was almost persuaded to settle down in Fredonia.

From that time Sabbath meetings continued until the 8th of June, when he was obliged by ill health to close in the middle of a sermon. He was pained at heart to leave this field and expressed the fervent wish that "Zion did but know the deep wretchedness and anxieties of many of the people scattered through the great western valley," and the belief that, if so, they would "fly to their relief and help exterminate the heresies, infidelity, popery and Mormonism."

One of the most interesting things in Mr. Scott's little book is what he says about Osceola. This is the name given by Mr. Scott to the high hill or bluff at Toddtown on the bank of the Iowa river, just west of the Rock Island track. He says : "West of the territorial road at Hillsboro is the rising bank of Osceola, or the mound upon which the Indians came to trade, as this was the converging point of the nations general resort. We ascended to its conical head. This is about 100 feet above the river, which flows directly beneath, and about one mile from Fredonia. ... A prospect from the summit must present a still more tempting scene than that from the towering mound which overhung the beloved city in the eastern world, fust before us between the two rivers was Port Island."

He, of course, meant Port Allen. Farther on he says: "Northwest of us we saw a tree which from its distance resembled an umbrella. I was informed that it was a large oak eighteen miles distant and stood on the great territorial road which leads from Burlington to Iowa City. About two miles south of us was Columbus City. Thus in every direction we could survey the 'garden of the west.'

"I the night while standing there that this mound might yet sustain an acad- emy, and from it the student might survey the geographic features of both river and sky."

Further on he says of this general locality: "The Iowa river is one of the largest tributaries of the Mississippi, affording steamboat navigation the principal part of the year to Fredonia and Hillsboro. From thence to Iowa City it is susceptible of keelboat navigation. With this view of the subject it is readily inferred that the towns at the confluence of the Iowa and Cedar rivers will eventually take the lead in commerce, notwithstanding the capital is above them in point of location, and its population far superior." Concerning the wild fruits and wild animals in the Iowa country he says: "Wild plums almost of unnum- bered varieties grow in profusion, and the deep recesses of the forests abound

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 299

in wild grapes," etc. He mentions also crab apples and various kinds of berries, and foxes, raccoons, opossum, gophers, porcupines, squirrels, otter and deer, and says that the rivers, lakes and creeks abound in speckled trout, white perch, black and rock bass, catfish, shad, eels, sturgeon and buffalo.

He describes with much feeling his departure from Fredonia and the "bursts of sorrow" with which the people received the intelligence that he was about to leave them. In conclusion he says that a church was constituted and founded in Fredonia in which Dr. Enoch Maxson was clerk. He refers to Fredonia as a very convenient location for a large town, being on the bank of the Iowa river "up and down which the proud steamer frequently plays, laden with almost every- thing necessary for domestic use in this newly settled country."

As noted elsewhere, when the townships were first established, what is now Concord was a part of Fredonia township, which embraced all, or practically all, of the present townships of Oakland and Concord. In those days Fredonia was a place of considerable importance. It was incorporated in 1874, the vote on the question being taken on May 30th, and resulting 25 for incorporation and none against. The population is given as follows: 1870 — 150; 1875 — 123; 1880 — 157; the population of Fredonia seems to have been included with that of the township, and not given separately, in the subsequent enumerations. Cram's Atlas for 191 1 gives the population for 1910 at 250, but this may be only an estimate.

LAFAYETTE AND IIILLSBORO.

LAFAYETTE

was laid out by Jacob Schmeltzer, Elizabeth Wheelock, William Edwards, James M. Edwards and Augustus Dubreuil, and surveyed by John R. Sisson, county- surveyor, May 14, 1856, and acknowledged by the various proprietors before Wesley W. Garner, notary public, August 1, 1856. It appears to have been laid out just south of the town of Hillsborough and the greater part of it was in the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 19, although the east part of it was about 142 feet extended over into the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 19. This plat was also about 600 feet wide east and west and about 1,200 or 1,300 feet long north and south.

HILLSBOROUGH

was laid out by William Todd on the south bank of the Iowa river immediately adjoining the fern' landing, known as Todd's ferry. It was surveyed by John Gilliland, county surveyor, April 28, 1842, and acknowledged by William Todd before J. S. Rinearson, notary public, June 17, 1842. The part laid out seems to have been about 60 feet wide east and west by about 1,500 feet north and south .

The place where these two towns were is now included in the limits of Columbus Junction. Hillsboro, as it has usually been called, was once quite a business point for shipping on the Iowa river. For a few years, about 1858 to 1 861, there was a postoffice here, called Altoona. The census of i860 gives the population of Hillsboro at 63, while that of 1870 places it at 46.

300 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Fitch & Luckett packed pork at Hillsboro and Marvel Wheelock and Allan Pease had stores there. Philander Bouton had a store at Lafayette.

CLIFTON

is described on the plat book as the second station west of Muscatine on the Mississippi & Missouri railroad, situated on the southwest quarter of the north- east quarter and the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 23, township 75 north, range 5 west, and was laid out by Joseph A. Green and George C. Stone, October 16, 1S58. The railroad extends east and west with a bend to the north through the south half of the plat, the greater part of the town as platted being on the north side of the railroad.

Haywood's addition to Clifton was laid out by George Haywood, September 4. 1865. The location is described as follows on the plat book: "Such addition is laid upon the east side and will not vary far from 589 feet wide of the north- east quarter of the northwest quarter of section 23 of township j$ north, of range 5 west, and adjoins the original town plat of Clifton on the north and is an extension north the entire length of said northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 2^."

Clifton is now but a memory, and yet the census of i860 gives it 46 people and that of 1870 gives it 200. In 1867 the Methodists and Catholics each built churches there. It had two lumber yards, two hotels and several stores. Geo. Haywood was the first agent there, as he had been at Fredonia : he was also the first postmaster. Wm. Klotz kept hotel there, and Geo. \V. Merrill. I. L. & P. H. Collins, and Russell & Gallup had stores. Clifton was at one time the shipping point for Columbus City, Union and part of Wapello townships.

OAKLAND TOWNSHIP AND ITS TOWNS.

rile first official name given to the territory comprising Oakland township after it became a part of Louisa county, which was not until January, 1839, was Catteese. The designation of this district was intended both for a road district and a voting precinct, and it was provided that the voting place should be at Hugh Coland's. This name is given at other times as "Calm" or "Callan." Whatever the proper spelling was, it is quite certain he was an early settler in Oakland township, and probably lived near the bank of the Iowa river almost due west from Levi 1 Hake's residence.

Among the other early settlers were Joseph Blake, Peter Blake, Curtis Knight and Absalom Dollarhide. William Blake. M. Seydell, and John Brown.

Joseph Blake was for a time the leading man in Oakland township.

Absalom Dollarhide had a grist mill on Prairie creek, not far from tile bridge in the southwest quarter of section 22.

The first town established or attempted to be established in Oakland town- ship was called Catteese. William L. Toole refers to this in his writings in the "Annals of Iowa." He says, that in a very early day there was great rivalry between Catteese and Fredonia. and at one time there was a lot sale in Catteese.

Catteese was undoubtedly the forerunner of the original town of Port Allen,

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 301

which was located on high ground just across the river north from old "Todd Town."

In July, 1839, Mr. Samuel Davis, editor of a Whig paper called the "Peoria Register," was making a tour through Wisconsin, and was writing letters, one of which was published in the Iowa News of Dubuque. It is dated Catteese, July 4, 1837, and while it is quite an interesting letter, it does not say anything about Catteese or the immediate country around it, but the fact that it is dated at Catteese shows that it was then on the map.

We have an interesting little book which once belonged to Curtis Knight, which he called his "bill book." It begins in 1831 and extends over to about 1853. There are but few items in it. The first entry covers about four pages, and seems to be an inventory or invoice of goods bought by Curtis Knight in 1831, but the name of the vendor is not decipherable now.

We gather from some of the entries in this book that Mr. Knight settled in Oakland township in the spring of 1838.

If Mr. Knight had recorded all the happenings in the "forks of the river," in those early days, his book would possess very great interest. He might have enlightened us as to the Saturday gatherings for the promotion of horseracing and the manly art of fisticuffing. These were favorite sports with the people of the southern half of Oakland township until long after the war.

The custom in early days of borrowing and lending is well illustrated by some of the entries in this book. We give some sample entries : •

"Iowa & Seeder Forks, Louisa County

June 4, 1838. Peter Blake debtor to Curtis Knight:

To 8 lbs. of bacon .• .$1.00

To lA bushel of seed corn 5°

To One half day sawing plank 50

To one bushel of corn i-OO

To Y\ yard linen 37

August 3, 1838. To breakage of wagon tongue 2.50

Lent to Peter Blake. 4 small pans of corn meal at one time and 2 at another.

Lent four large pans of flour.

Lent 2 bowls of salt.

Lent one tea cup of pepper.

Lent 1 tea cup of shugar.

Lent 1 bowl of salt.

Settled."

From a few entries in the book it seems that Mr. Knight was a store keeper, and charged Jayhue Bedwell with an Ox yoke, staple, ring and post $3.00, and with different sums for different kinds of cloth, one item of 7 1/3 yards of "cassamer" at $13.75. He sells bacon, corn, skein silk, pickeled pork, potatoes, coffee, onions, saddles, honey and various other items. The price for coffee seems to have been 20 cents a pound, and corn meal 50 cts. a bushel.

302 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Hugh Callin's name is found in one entry under date of December 4, 1840.

PORT ALLEX.

Port Allen was the next town in Oakland township and was laid out by George W. Allen, Joseph Blake, William Blake and Peter Blake, March 19, 1841, and was located in the forks of the Cedar and Iowa rivers. It was sur- veyed by John Gilliland, County Surveyor, and the plat was acknowledged by the above named proprietors on March 20, 1841, before Enoch K. Maxson, Justice of the Peace.

This was quite a pretentious place for a little while, there being a ferry across the Iowa river on the road to Fredonia and across the Iowa to the south. At one time the ferry license was in the name of a man named lohn Brown, and it is said that he and also Mr. Allen kept store in Port Allen.

The government records show that Port Allen had the following postmasters :

Curtis Knight, appointed June 15, 1848.

Jesse Graves, appointed March 30, 1854.

William H. Hayward, appointed February 19, 1856.

Hiram Hall, appointed May 21, 1857.

David M. Inghram, appointed June 18, 1861.

We do not think that any of these men kept the postoffice at the Port Allen which was located by George W. Allen.

At the time that Curtis Knight was postmaster, he kept the postoffice at his house, which was on the bank of the Iowa river about three-quarters of a mile north of the platted town, and at that time it had probably been abandoned. The other postmasters given for Port Allen were located at the town platted as Oakland, which was situated some three miles north and west of there in sections 36 and 25.

A little later than the time we speak of, came Cyril Carpenter, Charles H. Abbott. Shakespeare McKee, Milton Carpenter, W. B. Davis, Alvah Morse, Delatus Graves, H. A. Keyes and William Nelson. A brief sketch of Cvril Carpenter will be found in the chapter on personal mention.

An interesting story is told of how Oakland township came to be established : it was originally a part of Fredonia township, with the township headquarters and voting place at Fredonia. which necessitated the people living in Oakland township crossing the river when they wanted to vote or transact township business. Practically all the township officers were elected from the Fredonia side. At one election Colonel Abbott organized the Oakland township voters, and made up a ticket of township officers all of whom belonged in Oakland township. To prevent undue excitement on the Fredonia side, the Oakland township voters went over in skiffs one and two at a time, and their plan was not discovered until the polls were about to close, but too late to prevent the success of Abbott's plan. The result was, that when nearly all the township officers belonged in Oakland township the people on the Fredonia side were willing for a division.

OAKLAND

was laid out by James McKee, Erastus Graves, W. H. Crocker and Charles H. Abbott on sections 25 and 36, township 76 north, range 5 west, the quarter sec-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 303

tion corner of the north boundary of section 36 being the geographical center of the town plat. It was surveyed by John R. Sisson, county surveyor, October

5- i854-

CAIRO.

The history of Hope Farm and Cairo properly belong together. Hope Farm was located on the land now owned by John Bretz, east of Cairo. It was started by the Isetts, Dr. Samuel R. Isett and J. Wilson Isett ; they settled in that neighborhood probably as early as 1837. J. Wilson Isett had a store at Hope Farm as early as 1839. It is said that the first school in this vicinity was located about a quarter of a mile east of Hope Farm. The early school teachers were Elijah Lathrop and Veazy P. Bunnell, and they probably taught there in 1838 and 1839, although the exact date cannot be stated. Frank Griswold, now a resident of Wapello went to school there, as did also the late Mrs. Weaver, mother of Hon. H. O. Weaver, of Wapello.

The postmasters at Hope Farm were as follows :

Samuel Isett, appointed February 22, 1840 ; James W. Isett, appointed Decem- ber 29, 1840; Franklin Griswold, appointed August 18, 1843; John Marshall, appointed March 25, 1844; Joseph B. Nichols, appointed January 14, 1850; Thomas J. R. Ellis, appointed October 4, 1850. The postoffice at Hope Farm was discontinued March 23, 1856.

The postmasters at Cairo down to war times were as follows :

John Marshall, appointed July 1, 1856; Jefferson W. Davis, appointed April 18, 1857; David McKinley, appointed March 13, 1858; Alonzo D. Hickok. February 20, 1865. It can be safely assumed that practically all of these post- masters were store keepers at the time they held the postoffice.

There was a hotel in Cairo called the Louisa House, kept by Mrs. Lucy Hummeston, afterward Forbes. Mrs. Hummeston first kept hotel and called it the Louisa House, on the farm where Leslie Nichols now lives ; the old sign of the hotel was taken to Cairo and used there. Mrs. Hummeston was a daughter of Franklin Griswold, who with his brother were among the very earliest settlers in Marshall township ; the brother, Ira Griswold, framed the Wapello Mill when it was first erected.

Aside from the early store keepers and those already mentioned, the pioneer settlers of Marshall township were Richard Slaughter, George Key, Nixon Scott, Richard Restine, John Sellers, Annanias Simpkins. H. M. Ochiltree, whose name is connected with the history of Morning Sun, first settled on a piece of land in Marshall township. A little later came Robert Niccolls, John N. Baldrige and Oliver Benton ; also Abraham Hill, who built what was known as Hill's Mill on Long creek near the Dan McKay farm. Another early settler was Christopher Fox, the grandfather of Mrs. Ralph Butler, who was quite a character in his day and had seen active service in the Black Hawk war. In the early '60s Jesse Vanhorn was prominent in Cairo, and had much to do with building the Cairo church. He also erected a grist mill on Long creek about three miles down the creek from the Derbin mill.

About this same time M. M. Carson was running a pump factory at Cairo.

This was also the home of Rev. F. F. Kiner, who will be remembered as one of the supervisors who were taken to Des Moines by the United States

304 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

marshal. Mr. Kiner came here from Jefferson county shortly after the war was over; he was a soldier and wrote a book describing his life in prison.

Following is what the records show as to the laying out of Cairo and its additions :

CAIRO

was laid out by James H. Marshall on the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 28, township 74 north, range 4 west, surveyed by W. S. Kroner, June 15, 1865.

Vanhorn & Kiner's addition to Cairo surveyed by William C. Blackstone, county surveyor, April 23, 1869. The plat does not state where the addition is situated.

Marshall's addition to Cairo, laid out by John S. Marshall, October 4, 1866, and surveyed by William C. Blackstone. said to be laid out on the north side of Cairo proper.

Vanhorn's addition to Cairo, laid out by Jesse Vanhorn, April 12, 1875, in the south half of the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 28, 74-4.

The population of Cairo has usually been included in Marshall township, but it was given separately in the census of 1880. At that time it was 123.

COTTERVILLE

was laid out by Margaret E. Cotter. January 23, 1878, situated on the north side of the north half of the northwest quarter of section 20, 75-5, and on the north side of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad.

An addition was made to Cotterville by R. T. Jones, May 3, 1899, by making a subdivision of outlot 2 in the west part of the town.

Jenkins' addition to Cotterville, laid out December 30, 1904, by Catherine Ann Jenkins, Richard Jenkins and John Jenkins, in the southwest part of the west "half of the southwest quarter of section 17, 75-5, adjoining the town on the north.

The place is now called Cotter; it is well located on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railroad about five miles west of Columbus Junction. It had several good stores, and is the trading point for a great many of the Welsh. It also has a strong bank, of which Robert T. Jones is president and R. L. Richards is cashier.

GRANDYIEW

was laid out by Alvin Clark and Robert Childers on the southwest quarter of section 22, township 75 north, range 3 west, surveyed by John Gilliland, county surveyor, July 3, 1841.

Springer's addition to Grandview. laid out by Francis Springer, surveyed by lohn Gilliland. Tune 7, 1843. It was laid out on land immediately south of the original town of Grandview. The part north of Monroe street which consists of six blocks containing six lots each, is said to be a part of the original plat as laid out by Clark and Childers.

Jackson's addition to Grandview. laid out by John Jackson, in the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 22, township 75 north, range 3 west.

NORTH OX MAIX STREET, GRANDVIEW

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 305

being immediately east of the original town of Grandview, surveyed by W. S. Kremer, surveyor, July 11, 1857.

January 24, 1843, the legislature of Iowa passed an act incorporating a seminary of learning in Grandview, to be called the Grandview Seminary, and named as the incorporators, Henry Rockafellow, William Thompson, John Ronalds, Spencer Wilson, Robert Childres, Gabriel Walling, George Humphreys, Alexander Ross, Martin Gray and Clark Alexander. And in February. 1844, an act was passed incorporating the Grandview Literary & Philosophical Society, and naming as incorporators, Alexander McCall. Lewis Kinsey, Robert Childres, Spencer Wilson, Abraham McCleary.

The postomce was established in Grandview May 2nd, 1838, and the following is a list of the postmasters up to war times, with the dates of their appoint- ments: Alvin Clark, May 2, 1838; Gabriel Walling, October 13. 1839: Benj. Gibboney, July 8, 1847: J. B. Latta, December 10, 1849; David Winder. April 10, 1850; Robert Gillis, April 16, 1851 ; George Hutchinson, April 14, 1853: Nathan M. Stone, March 8, 1855 ; James H. Sprague, September 6, 1855 : David Winder, March 2, 1865. It is safe to say -that all these postmasters were store keepers at the time they held the postomce.

It is said that the first house in Grandview was built by Gabriel Walling in

I837-

Grandview has always been noted for the high moral sentiment which pre-

vades most of its citizens and also for its devotion to the cause of education.

It is said that the first school taught in Grandview township was in 1839 in a

cabin in the village of Grandview, and that it was taught by Miss Rachel Gray.

Grandview Institute — A. B. Hartzell, principal, advertises in Wapello Repub- lican of March 28. 1 861 "that the 7th term of this well-known institute will commence April 15, 1861."

The Republican of November 10. 1866, says that "The Grandview Academy, under the direction of Prof. McClanahan, seems to be doing quite as well as its founders anticipated. The building itself is a spacious two story brick, and having been just completed, it wears a clean, nice, pleasant appearance through- out. Some forty scholars are already in attendance, &c."

Later, Lewis Kinsey, who was at one time Justice of the Peace in Grand- view township, taught school there. In 1844 a seminary building was erected, and a good school was taught there for a number of years. We think another educational institution, called the Grandview Seminary was incorporated under the general incorporation law in 1869, or about that time, and that in 1874, Professor E. R. Eldrige became principal of it. Professor Eldrige was one of the leaders in the movement to re-organize normal schools in Iowa, and through his efforts the Grandview Seminary was converted into the Eastern Iowa Normal School which began its first session in the fall of 1874, with Professor Eldrige as president, James A. Kennedy, vice president, W. F. Davis, secretary and Tohn A. Thompson principal of the Commercial department. Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Davis were both experienced teachers, and the Eastern Iowa Normal School as conducted at Grandview for a number of years was of untold benefit to the community and the county. An arrangement was made by which the Grandview public schools were made "Model schools" for the normal school and were taught by the seniors and juniors under the supervision of the normal

306 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

school faculty. Joseph Sypheit and Miss Hutchinson were teaching in the public schools of Grandview, and were added to the normal school faculty.

At that time Grandview was thought to have a prospect for a railroad, but as soon as the hope of a railroad vanished, it was felt the institution would be more prosperous if located where it could have the advantages of railroad trans- portation, and so, about 1881, through the influence of N. M. Letts, the Eastern Iowa Normal School was moved to Columbus Junction. It was re-organized with a new charter and a new board of trustees and received title to Block 5 in Columbus Junction, on which was a $25,000 building which had been erected by the people of Columbus Junction for the courthouse in case they could suc- ceed in getting the county seat removed to that place. The normal school pros- pered at Columbus Junction for several years, but soon after Professor Eldrige accepted the presidency of the State Normal School of Alabama, the normal school died and the building subsequently became the property of the Columbus Junction school district.

We copy the following item from the Wapello Intelligencer of January 31, 1854, which shows what outsiders thought of Grandview at that time: "In conversation with a gentleman near Grandview, we learn that that pleasant village is improving finely. Several good buildings have been erected there the past season, among which is quite an extensive dwelling, of brick, by Dr. I. B. Latta, which adds to the appearance of the town. Our informant states that there is quite a stirring business in the way of trade carried on there. Three business establishments are flourishing. Messrs. Fleming & Giles have nearly sold out their very large stock of fall and winter goods and are making prepara- tions to bring on a heavier stock the coming spring, than ever before. Mr. Hutchinson is said to have sold out quite an extensive stock of goods besides doing a good business in the way of accommodating the traveling public at his commodious hotel.

To those who merely pass through Grandview, it may seem strange that so much business would be done there. But were they to pass over the township and see the many rich farms that are pouring their products into market, and taking in exchange the requisite supplies for farm and fireside — they will at once see the whys and wherefores of this trade. Many wealthy farmers reside in Grandview township, and the beauty of it all is that the material is there in abundance for multitudes more, if good soil is any criterion. From its beauti- ful and elevated position, one would naturally enough be led to the conclusion that it is a healthful location. This we are authentically informed is the fact."

Grandview has always been a stronghold of prohibition and many meetings in furtherance of the cause have been held there. We find the proceedings of a meeting held June 10, 1862, in the Wapello Republican, and the fourth resolu- tion passed by that meeting might well be heeded by our officers at the present day.

Prohibition meeting at Grandview. June 10. 1862. Following Preamble and Resolution unanimously adopted.

Whereas, the evil of intemperance prevails in this community to an alarm- ing extent and seems to be increasing daily, therefore Resolved :

1st. That the time has come when it becomes an imperative necessity for all persons to take a decided position on the question.

IU STORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 307

2d. Resolved, that persons engaged in the nefarious traffic of intoxicating liquors (including lager beer) are engaged in an unholy business, and are the common enemies of our race.

3d. Resolved, that the order loving citizens of this place lend a helping hand to arrest the progress of intemperance in our midst.

4th. Resolved, that as it is the province of law to preserve order as well as to prevent crime, we believe it to be the duty of any, and all of our civil officers to bring to justice any person or persons found guilty of violating the law, in vending liquors or becoming intoxicated.

5th. Resolved, that those engaged in selling lager beer, and other intoxi- cating liquors, are requested to desist immediately.

John A. Hartzell, S. E. Jones, J. Frisbee,

Com. on Resolution.

Grandview has always been a church center. It is a very difficult matter to get detailed church history, but in the case of one of the churches of Grand- view, the Congregational, we have been favored by Reverend T. O. Douglas of Grinnell, with its history, which is as follows :

"The Grandview church was organized June 19, 1857. The list of pastors is as follows :

"Adam Blumer, '5/--59 ; Henry Langpaap. '59-'6o : Frederick W. Judeisch, '6o-'7S; Henry Hetzleiv '75-78; Andrew Kern, '78- '86 ; Henry Vogler, '86- '88 : Gustav L. Brackemeyer, '88-92 ; E. F. Kluckhohn, '92-94 ; William Berg, '95- '97; C. W. Anthony, '97-98; P. J. Theil, 1900-1902; Henry W. Stein. '02-03; H. S. Everet, '04-06 ; W. L. Childress, '07-08 ; Samuel E. Eells, '09. Originally, as you will see by the names of the pastors, this church was German. A number of years ago the English was introduced into some of the services. More and more, as the years went by, the congregation became English, and in 1903 the German was dropped entirely, and in 1906 the church transferred its member- ship from the German to the Davenport Association. Only a short time ago three of the charter members were still alive, and in constant attendance upon the services of the church. The church building was dedicated June 27, 1858. The building is now being remodeled and refurnished. The present pastor, Mr. Eells, is the son of one of our early missionaries, who was pastor at Farmington. Webster, Cincinnati, Lucas Grove and Sabula, 1866 to 1876. He is still alive, residing at Payson, Illinois. I am not able to say very much about the different pastors. Henry Langpaap was in the state from '59 to '68, preaching at Grand- view, Pine Creek, Davenport, Garnavillo, Lansing Ridge, etc. You will notice that Mr. Judeisch was pastor of the Grandview church for fifteen years. He was born in Prussia, November 11, 1820. He came to America in 1850, coming first to Muscatine. He moved to Pine Creek in 1853, and began preaching in 1859. From 1875 to 1892 he was pastor of the church at Davenport. He died May 5, 1900. At our meetings of Association he always spoke in English but

308 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

prayed in German. Some of us who had no knowledge of die German language learned the opening sentence of his prayer: 'Wir danken. Dir, lieher Vater." One of the many contributions of Germany to Iowa was this good man. Fred- erick \Y. Judeisch. He gave us forty years of service.

"Andrew Kern gave us twenty-three years of service, preaching at Grand- view. Minden, Lansing Ridge. New Hampton, etc.

"The other men had short pastorates, and were not in the state for a great while, and perhaps need no special mention here."

It is said that the first church built in Grandview was by the Methodists, and that they erected a new building about 1871.

The United Presbyterians also have a congregation in Grandview, and they erected a church building about [854.

Grandview got her first railroad in 189S, when the Muscatine, North & South Railroad was constructed, and since that time it has grown quite a little and taken on some city airs.

Grandview was first incorporated in 1878. August 8. 187,8, E. IS. Lacey and thirty-three others filed a petition for incorporation. The commissioners appointed to hold the election were E. B. Lacey, J. H. Benson. A. Brown, D. W. Walker and Geo. Hummell. and on Oct. 11. 1878, the vote on the question of incorpora- tion was 29 for to 21 against. Some years afterward the corporation was aban- doned, and Grandview remained a village until 1901. when it was again incor- porated. The petition was filed March 5, 1901, and D. J. Higiey. D. M. Bridges, John Schafer. A. M. Cowden and W. B. Robison were appointed commissioners. An election was held and the vote was 56 for incorporation to 36 against. Feb- ruarv 13, 1901, the following officers were elected: A. M. Cowden. mayor; G. F. Schafer, clerk; D. M. Bridges, treasurer; Peter Muller, James Thorp, W. E. Schweitzer, William Guthrie, I- din F. Robison and T. B. Christy, councilmen.

The present officers are: Mayor, Win. Dickerson ; recorder. Ed. Haas; coun- cilmen. C. W. Graham. O. W. McGrew, J. M. P.uster. Peter Muller and John J. Beik.

The population of Grandview is given differently in some of the official publications. The following we believe to be nearly correct: 1854 — <;i ; i860 — 138; 1870 — 160: 1880—105: 1885 — 22<i: 1905—278; inio— 374.

Through the courtesy of Rev. E. C. Brooks, of Wapello, we have had access to the early conference reports of the M. E. church. 111 which we find the fol- lowing interesting items pertaining to the early history of that denomination in Grandview.

Grandview was in the Rock river conference in 1842, and Joseph L. Kirk- patrick is named as pastor; Luther McVoy was pastor in 1843, and the member- ship is given as 166. This must have included quite a scope of country.

Grandview was in the Iowa conference in 1844 and Laban Case was pastor, with a membership stated at 233.

In 1845 Sidney Wood was pastor, anil the membership is given at 134.

In 1846 John H. Dennis was pastor, with 130 members; in 1847 Joseph W. Maxon was pastor with 138 members; in 1848 Wm. Burris was pastor with 155 white and 3 colored members; in 184(1 Joseph Jamison was pastor with 120 members; in 1850 H. N. Wilbur was pastor with 143 members; in 1851 Lucas

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 309

C. Woodford was pastor with 222 members; in 1852 J. T. Coleman was pastor with 183 members. W. R. IUake was pastor in 1853, E. Lathrop in 1854 and J. T. Manderville in 1855.

.MORNING SUN

was laid out by Cicero Hamilton, September 13, 1851, on the northeast corner of the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 25, township 73 north, range 4 west.

Brown's addition to Morning Sun, laid out by William I'. Brown, surveyed by John R. Sisson, April 17, 1855, situated on the southeast corner of the south- east quarter of the northeast quarter of section 25, township "7, north, range 4 west.

Wilson Griffin's addition to Morning Sun, surveyed by John R. Sisson, De- cember 19, 1855, and laid out on the northwest quarter of section 30, township 73 north, range 3 west.

Brown's second addition to Morning Sun laid out by William P. Brown, sur- veyed by W. S. Kremer, March 27, 1859, laid out in the southeast corner of the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 25. 73-4.

Cicero Hamilton's addition to Morning Sun laid out on the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 25, township jt, north, range 4 west. This is a small addition, containing four blocks and it seems that the original plat was lost. In the dedication Mr. Hamilton states that "Having heretofore on certain lots laid out a town described and known as Hamilton's addition to Morning Sun, the records having been lost, the same having been surveyed by J. R. Sisson, at that time county surveyor of Louisa county, and state of Iowa, and filed for record by him and to my knowledge was recorded and I hereby certify that the plat hereto attached is a complete copy for all practical purposes and is substantially the same as heretofore laid out for me and for my benefit. The lots all hav- ing been sold and deeded by me in good faith, I therefore make this second plat with my full consent that the same can be put on the county records, etc."

April 30, 1870, Josiah YTertrees laid out what is commonly called Vertrees' addition to Morning Sun, but the plat does not purport to be anything more than a subdivision, and was laid out on the south side of the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 30, township 73 north, range 3 west, and sur- veyed by Thomas W. Bailey, county surveyor.

Marshall's addition to Morning Sun laid out by Elias .Marshall, April 21. 1873, and surveyed by W. S. Kremer, surveyor, situated in the southeast corner of the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 30, jy^i-

Marshall's second addition to Morning Sun laid out by Elias Marshall, Febru- ary 22, 1875, in southeast corner of northwest quarter of southwest quarter of section 30-73-3.

Harriet Nixon's addition to Morning Sun laid out on the east half of the east half of the west half of section 30, 73-3.

Morning Sun station laid out by James Sterrett on the west half of the south- east quarter of section 30, 73-3, August 24, 1870, surveyed by Peter Houtz. deputy county surveyor.

310 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

East Morning Sun laid out by Josiah Nicol on September 4, 1870, beginning at the southwest corner of the west half of the northeast quarter of section 30,

73-3-

Samuel Reid's addition to Morning Sun, consisting of four lots, surveyed by Peter Houtz, county surveyor, March 13, 1873, and appears to be situated in the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 25, 73-4.

Samuel Hamilton's addition to Morning Sun, surveyed by W. S. Kremer, September, 1873, and laid out on the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 30, y^-T,.

Wilmering's addition to Morning Sun, laid out by Herman Wilmering, better known as "Dutch Jake," in April, 1874, surveyed by Peter Houtz, county sur- veyor, and laid out on the south half of the northwest quarter of section 30,

72,-3-

There are a number of subdivisions of lots and out lots which cannot be properly classed as additions but are found on the plat book. There is also a plat of the railway depot grounds at Morning Sun.

W. T. Vertrees' addition to Morning Sun, surveyed by VV. S. Kremer, April

22, 1895, and situated on the northwest part of the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 30, 72,~3-

Nancy Wilson's addition to Morning Sun. surveyed by W. S. Kremer, April

23, 1892, and situated on the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 30, 7^-^ and adjoins Gifford's addition on the east.

Hayes' addition to Morning Sun, surveyed by W. S. Kremer, for A. D. Hayes, August 15, 1899, and 'aid out on tne east s'x acres of lot 1 in the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 30, 73-3.

In the records of the county court is found the account of the filing of a peti- tion of H. C. Blake and twenty others asking Judge Derbin to order an election to be held in the village of Morning Sun to decide on the question "Shall the addition to Morning Sun laid oft" by Wilson Giffin, and generally known as Giffin's addition to Morning Sun, be added to and become a part of said vil- lage"? This election appears to have been ordered, and held on Nov. 7, 1857, resulting in a majority in favor of the proposition.

The first settlement in the vicinity of the present town of Morning Sun is thought to have been made by Jonathan Harkeman, from Ohio. He came in 1836. He was a blacksmith by trade, and was the inventor and maker of the first diamond plow. The first school in this vicinity was probably taught by T. P. Brown, a little north of the town.

The first postmaster in Morning Sun was W. P. Brown, but the first post- office in Morning Sun township was at "Virginia Grove," and the office was called by that name. Mr. Brown had the postoffice before the town was laid out, and it is believed that he gave Morning Sun its name. H. C. Blake was the second postmaster at Morning Sun.

W. P. Brown also built the first house in the present limits of Morning Sun, and his son, J. C. Brown, opened the first store in this building. Other early merchants were Wright, Blake, llunl, Stormont and Jamison.

Cicero Hamilton had a saw mill in the early days of the town. The town of .Morning Sun was incorporated in 1867: on June 3rd of that year Henry McClurkin, J. C. Brown and Henry C. Blake presented to County Judge Wm.

MORNING SUN TUBLIC SCHOOL

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 311

G. Allen the petition of 44 residents, asking for incorporation, and on same day the order was made for the organization of the town. J. C. Brown was the first mayor, and was elected in August, 1807.

In September, 1874. W. E. Smith, M. M. Carson, James Higbee, Elliot Frazer, J. W. Cavan and others petitioned the circuit court for an election upon the question of annexing the additions known as Wilmering's addition, Morning Sun Station, East Morning Sun and eight acres adjoining East Morning Sun. The court appointed M. M. Carson, James Higbee, W.. E. Smith, J. C. Shirk and |. W. Cavan commissioners to hold an election in the territory proposed to be annexed, and they held an election on Oct. 31, 1874. at which a majority of the people voting were favorable to the proposition; and on Nov. 12, 1874, the council, by resolution approved the annexation.

Present officers are : P. A. Yohe, mayor ; W. B. Garvin, clerk ; J. W. Smith, treasurer. Councilmen : J. F. Holiday, W. R. Smyth, J. L. Vertrees, E. L. Mc- Clurkin and T. E. Skinner.

Morning Sun has always given good support to its schools.

In 1867 it built the finest schoolhouse in the county at that time. A few years ago the building was destroyed by fire, and Morning Sun immediately replaced it with a modern edifice which is also the best in the county.

The population of Morning Sun at the various census enumerations has been as follows: 1869—279; 1870—314; 1873—445; 1875—785; 1880—812; 1885— 880; 1890 — 881; 1895 — 987; 1900 — 948; 1905 — 981; 19 10 — 897.

Morning Sun is a thriving, up-to-date place, with two railroads, two good banks, a newspaper which has one of the best job-printing offices in this part of the state, and a number of good stores and strong church organizations. One of the churches was the Associate Reform congregation of Virginia Grove, and is said to have been organized by Rev. Samuel Finley in 1840. It is now known as the United Presbyterian church of Morning Sun. John Wilson, John Hamilton, Henry M. Ochiltree and Wilson Giffin were elders, and Rev. Jackson Duff pastor in its early years. Rev. William M. Graham, Rev. Thomas Samson, and Rev. T. C. McKilday have been pastors, Rev. Fred Elliott is the pastor at this time.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

No authentic record of the earliest Methodist services in the vicinity of what is now Morning Sun can be found. It is believed that the pioneer itinerants ■ preached in various residences and neighboring schoolhouses as early as the forties. It is well known that Methodist preachers by the names of Wilson. Prather and Wayman held revival meetings near Morning Sun before the Civil war. The first regularly organized class in Morning Sun was formed by a Rev. Mr. Paschal of Columbus City, soon after the war, and the charter members were Samuel Hamilton and wife, R. Delzell and wife, M. Jarvis and wife, Dr. O. Reynolds and wife and Mrs. Cramer. We find that this class was supplied with preaching by local preachers by the names of Pell and Bird, and pastors of neighboring charges. The services were first held in the home of William P. Brown, afterwards in the Presbyterian church and still later in Schenk's hall.

Morning Sun was officially organized as a charge of the Iowa Conference in 1871 and Bishop Ames appointed as its first pastor Rev. Morris Bamford. Con-

312 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

cord. Otter Creek and Virginia Grove were parts of the Morning Sun circuit until 1890 when these appointments were discontinued and in place of Virginia Grove a class was organized at Marsh. The Marsh appointment belonged to Morning Sun until 1901 when it was made a part of the .Mt. Union circuit and Morning Sun became a station. The first Methodist church building was erected in Morning Sun in 1873; this was improved and enlarged in 1884. The beauti- ful church building as it now stands was constructed in 1896 during the pastor- ates of W. T. Henness and A. S. Loveall. It was dedicated by the Rev. Dr. B. I. Ives, Dec. 20, 1896. It now represents a value approximately of $10,000.

The Methodist Episcopal communion and community of Morning Sun has enjoyed a wholesome and quite regular growth during the thirty-nine years of its history. From the small beginnings herein mentioned, the membership has increased until it now numbers approximately three hundred. The present out- look for Methodism in Morning Sun is very encouraging. Following is a list of pastors, men of strength and character.

Early itinerants and supplies: Joseph Paschal, Rev. Mr. Bell, Rev. Mr. Bird, Rev. Mr. 1'rather, Rev. Mr. Wilson, Rev. Mr. Wayman.

Regular pastors: Morris Banford, J. R. Noble, G. M. Tuttle, J. E. Corley, S. S. Martin, Geo. Nulton, J. W. Lewis, J. II. Armaeost, P. J. Henness (two terms), J. M. Hoober, A. S. Loveall, A. E. Buriff, D. C. Bevan, J. A. Boatman, F. W. Adams. C. R. Zimmerman. George Blagg.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The First Presbyterian Church of Morning Sun, Iowa, was organized by order of the Presbytery of Iowa, May 28, [849, as a result of the pioneer missionary lain us of Rev. Launcelot Graham Bell. "Father Bell,*' as he was commonly called, was at this time pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Fairfield, Iowa. There were eighteen charter members, namely: John N. Baldrige. .Mrs. Eliza Baldrige, Mrs. Margaret E. Benton. Mrs. Ally Brown, Hamilton Brown, Mrs. Sarah Brown, Thomas P. Brown, James Coulter. Mrs. Jane Coulter. Hamilton Hewitt. Mrs. Priscilla Hewitt, W. J. Hewitt, Mrs. Fliza Joy, Anna Nichols, Mrs. Ellen Nichols. Mrs. Rebecca Nichols, J. M. Swan, and .Mrs. Nancy Swan

After a sermon by Father Bell the church was formally organized in the Asso- ciate Reformed Church, under the name of "The Presbyterian Church of Vir- ginia Grove." and as such the infant organization was reported to the Presbytery of Iowa, and the church continued to be known by this name until the early six- ties, when the name was changed to "The First Presbyterian Church of Morning Sun. Iowa."

On the date of organization the following elders were duly elected: Hamil- ton Brown, James Coulter and J. McConnell Swan. The first session meeting was held September 2, 1849, and was moderated by Rev. Salmon Cowles. Hamil- ton Brown was elected clerk of session, which office he retained until June, 1800.

In 1849 a call was extended to Rev. Salmon Cowles, which he accepted, and he was duly installed September 30, 1850, and continued as pastor until September, 1853. The names and dates of those succeeding to the pastorate of the church areas follows: Rev. F. B. Dinsmore, 1854-1860; temporary supplies. Rev. J. B. McBride and Mr. B. Wall in [861 ; Rev. D. T. Campbell. 1861-1877; Rev. A. W.

jj
	1 /
~> i	m

LOOKING WEST OX DIVISION STREET. MORNING SUN

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 313

Colver, nine months, 1878; Rev. J. E. Karnes, 1879-1886; Rev. M. M. Cooper. 1887-1889; Rev. H. C. Keeley, six months; Rev. J. K. Alexander, 1891-1899; Rev. S. H. Parvin, 1899-1903; Rev. William MacKay, 1903-1909; Rev. A. E. Cameron, 1909 — .

The succession of elders is as follows: James Coulter, 1849-1857; James M. Swan, 1S49-1867; Hamilton Brown, 1849-1873; Joseph Benton, 1855-1857; J. \\ . Taylor, 1857-1862; Adam Hill, 1857-1898; Joseph Swan, 1860-1900; R. II. Stewart, 1866-1877; William -McClure, 1866-1872; W. J. Hewitt, 1874-1894; William Shirk,' 1874- 1882 ; Columbus Delong, 1878-1897; D. H. Morrison, 1878- 1908; J. B. Wright, 1879-1897; J. A. Swan, 1896-1899; J. M. Morrison, 1896- 1910; E. M. Swan, 1896 — ; C. F. Hewitt, 1900 — ; T. J. Achiltree, 1901-1904; J. C. E. Yohe, 1901 — .

The first building owned by the congregation stood just east of Elm wood cemetery. The present beautiful edifice was built during the pastorate of Rev. J. K. Alexander, and was dedicated to the worship of God, November 19, 1893. The old church building and site were sold to the trustees of the Christian Church of Morning Sun.

The church is at present (1911) in a flourishing condition along all lines. The present membership is 230. Rev. A. E. Cameron, pastor. Elders : Henry Beck, C. F. Hewitt, E. M. Swan, W. C. Swan, W. A. Thompson, and J. C. E. Yohe. Trustees: J. E. Boltz, Oren S. Gibbs, Tohn Green, f. A. Hull, Levi Wolf. P. A. Yohe.

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

The Reformed Presbyterian — commonly called Covenanter — congregation of Morning Sun was organized July 9, 1873. with forty-six members. At that time A. W. Cavin and James McCaughan were chosen ruling elders, and James Mont- gomery, W. J. Cubit and W. F. Cook, deacons.

The congregation took steps immediately to erect a house of worship. A sub- stantial frame building, 46x32 feet, with a vestibule 18x10, was ready for occu- pancy by the end of the year. Early the following year the Rev. C. D. Trum- bull, at that time serving a congregation in Des Moines county, was called to the pastorate. The call was accepted and he was installed in the office early in April and still ministers to the people. Four hundred and thirty-five names have been added to the roll of members since the organization. Many of the members have died or have removed from the bounds. The report this year shows the present membership to be one hundred and fifty — of whom only three, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Cavan and W. J. Cubit, were charter members. The register shows sixty- six marriages and two hundred and thirty-five baptisms, mostly infants, in the congregation.

In 1895 the church building was remodeled, additions built, refrescoed, re- furnished and generally improved. Extensive repairs have been ordered and are already in progress this year.

The present officers are C. D. Trumbull, pastor: R. Elliott, S. E. McElhinney, J. W. Cavan. Thos. McClement and W. J. Marshall, ruling elders, and W. T. Cubit. J. T. Hensleigh and J. D. Boal, deacons.

314 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

LETTSVILLE. ONONWA

was laid out by Joseph A. Green, October 6, 1855, in sections 5 and 6, township 75 north, range 3 west.

Denegre's addition to Ononwa seems to have been laid out immediately east of the original town on December 2. 1857, by James D. Denegre.

Linn's addition to the town of Letts, formerly the town of Ononwa, was laid out by O. H. P. Linn, January 18. 1893.

The greater part of the history of Lettsville embraces a period which is within the memory of most of those now living there, and which it has not been our intention to include in this work, except in a very general way. It was laid out about the time of the advent of the Mississippi and Missouri River Railroad Company, now the Rock Island, and has ever since been a place of considerable local importance, and a shipping point for a number of the leading cattle raisers and cattle feeders of the county. The name of the town originally was, as shown by the plat, Ononwa. In April, 1868, S. C. Curtis presented to the board of supervisors a numerously signed petition asking that the name be changed from Ononwa to Lettsville because its similarity to Onawa in the western part of the state caused a large per cent of its mail to be missent, and often caused delays in freight and express matter. The board of supervisors ordered the necessary steps to be taken to change the name, and on April 23, John Hale, clerk of the board of supervisors, issued a notice stating that such a petition had been pre- sented, and that the matter would be heard at the June session of the board; at that session the petition was granted and the name changed to Lettsville, although the postoffice was given, and still retains the name of Letts.

The railroad was finished as far as Lettsville some time in 1856. Among the first hotelkeepers was Seth C. Curtis. The first doctor in Lettsville was A. L. Bayard.

W. K. Trabue was the first railroad agent, and also the first postmaster. The following communication by the then Ononwa correspondent to the Muscatine Journal will be interesting to the people of Lettsville. It was written May 10, 1859. and will give some idea of the conditions existing then: "As news is not very plenty in this goodly city of Ononwa, I will make known the wants of the people through your valuable paper. Wanted, in Ononwa school district, one or more school teachers, who can come well recommended — one who is willing to furnish a schoolhouse, and whose influence will pay his board, as he will have to board around. There is also a good opening for a saloon, as there are only two in the place, and nary church. Any person wishing a good situation will find steady employment and good wages. Pay after the next crop. "P. S. — It is expected that whoever gets the job will attend some one of the churches in Ononwa. Application made in person to the director."

Lettsville now has good schools, good churches, and is a thrifty and law-abid- ing community, with a good bank, a good opera house, and a live newspaper. It also has a good button factory.

It was incorporated in by the Circuit Court in 1877. A petition for that pur- pose was filed May 26, 1877. stating that there were 226 persons then residing

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 315

there. Watters & Goble, a law firm of Columbus Junction, represented the peti- tioners, and W. H. Moles, A. Megrew, Dr. X. W. Mountain, T. M. Curtis and J. L. Small were appointed commissioners. An election was held on July 28th, 1877, and the vote was forty-five for incorporation to seventeen against. Isaac Shellabarger was the first mayor.

In this same year (1867) James N. Schofield built a large flouring mill, cost- ing about $10,000, and the Methodists built a church.

The present town officers are: Mayor, V. G. Shellabarger; recorder, C. C. Snyder; councilmen, Hon. A. M. Garrett, Ulric Garrett, H. M. Rasley, W. K. Ross, Bert Coder.

The Masons have a good lodge — Triangular Lodge No. 245 — which was chartered in 1867. Its present officers are: J. H. Collins, W. M. ; M. J. Mc- Cormick, J. W. ; L. U. Gipple, S. W. ; Ulric Garrett, secretary; E. R. McCormick. treasurer.

The statistics of population of Lettsville are as follows: 1870, 88; 1880. 300; 1885, 307; 1890. 325; 1895, 348; 1900, 387; 1905. 410; 1910, 433.

COLUMBUS JUNCTION.

laid out by J. W. Garner, March 1, 1870, on the east half of the southeast quar- ter of the southwest quarter of section 19, 75-4; afterward in 1876, Mr. Garner laid out on the same plat Garner's addition to Columbus Junction, being a part next the railroad which had not been laid out in lots before that.

"The addition to Columbus Junction" laid out by B. W. Magee, Henry C. Wortham and Simeon W. True, July 17, 1872, on the west half of the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 19, and the east half of the northwest quarter of section 30, 75-4.

H. C. Wortham & Company's second addition to Columbus Junction laid out by Henry C. Wortham, Simeon W. True, B. W. Magee, Alfred Cosgrove and Benjamin Britt, May 1, 1874, in the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 30, 75-4.

True's addition to Columbus Junction laid out by Wortham, True & Magee, August 10, 1877. This addition is situated chiefly in the south half of the north half of the southwest quarter of section 19.

Crim's addition to Columbus Junction laid out by Charles M. Crim, October 19, 1892, situated on lots 1, 5 and 6, and the east 63 feet of lot 2 of F. J. Moore's subdivision of the south half of the southwest quarter of section 19, 75-4.

Todd & Baker's addition to Columbus Junction laid out by William Todd and W. L. Baker, January 31, 1871, situated in the southwest corner of the north- west quarter of the southeast quarter of section 19, 75-4.

Wilcox & Carpenter's addition to Columbus Junction, laid out by O. P. Wil- cox and C. A. Carpenter, May 18, 1899, situated on the south and west parts of the south half of the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section

19. 75-4-

Pence's addition, laid out by J. W. Pence, October 21st, 1897, on the south- west quarter of the southwest quarter of section 19, 75-4.

Britt's addition to Columbus Junction, surveyed by Peter Houtz, in December, 1876, and laid out by B. F. Britt, Harriet J. Darrow and A. Darrow on the east half of the northwest quarter of section 30, 75-4.

316 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

McGee's addition to Columbus Junction, surveyed by Peter Houtz, April 13, [878, laid out by B. W. McGee, Henry C. Wortham, Herman Wilmering and Francis Springer, on the southeast part of the west half of the northwest quar- ter, and the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 30, 75-4.

Columbus Junction was originally known as the Sand Bank. The first train of cars on the Mississippi & Missouri River railroad ran to this town on Novem- ber 17, 1857, and this was the end of the road for nearly a year. Some time prior to this tbe people of Wapello held meetings to organize a company to build a road from Wapello to the Sand Bank, but this project fell through. Some time in 1858 the station at the Sand Bank was discontinued and a station was established at Clifton; but before the Clifton station was established there was considerable business clone at Sand Bank. Grain and stock were bought there and the people of the north part of the county west of the Iowa river got the most of their goods at that p< lint. After the Clifton station was established there was nothing doing al the Sand Bank until tbe Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota railroad was located. It crossed the M. & M.. now the Rock Island, at this point, and it was then that Mr. J. W. Garner, the owner of the land, determined to establish the new town of Columbus Junction. The first lot was sold to George Jamison, of Wapello, and Mr. Garner made other sales occasionally until, in 1871, he sold ninety-six lots, and five acres adjoining them to H. C. Wortham & Company, of Mattoon, Illinois. The company of this firm consisted of S. W. True and B. W. Magee. On February 7th the first train of cars on the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota railroad came to Columbus Junction, and it is said that on that day Colonel W. W. Garner bought the first ticket sold there.

One of the first men to engage in business in Columbus Junction was August Gilbert, who came from Muscatine. He had a house framed, loaded upon the cars of the M. & M. railroad, and shipped to Clifton Station, and from there had it transported to the Sand Bank and put up, and in February, 1870, commenced business, running a restaurant and keeping boarder*-,. When Wortham & Com- pany purchased the town site from Mr. Garner they intended to push the town. In 1872 they built the Wortham House, which was opened to the traveling public in October of that year. It covered four lots beginning with the one where Carr's clothing store. now is. and including the three lots south of it, and these were used as business houses, and the hotel part was upstairs.

The Louisa County National Bank was opened in one of the store reom^ of this building in July, 1872. Andrew Gamble was its first president and John W. True its first cashier. General James M. True also occupied one of the store rooms in this block ami Sargent & Carter had a stock of general merchandise in another of the rooms.

The postoffice at Columbus Junction was opened in July, 1872, in the north store room of the Wortham House block, with Mrs. Gentzler as postmistress At that time the fixed salary of the office was $12 a year. In April, 1874, Charles M. Fulton became postmaster and shortly after this he moved the office to a frame building on Walnut street. In September, 1886, Mr. Fulton was succeeded in the postoffice by George P. Neal.

For the first two years the town grew rapidly and proceedings were then taken to incorporate it. C. M. Fulton. Marvel Wheelock, S. W. True, W. F. Hall and William Todd were the commissioners appointed and on May 25th,

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 317

1874, an election was held on the question of incorporation, at which fifty-five votes were cast "for" and seventeen "against." The first officers elected were: Mayor, C. M. Fulton; members of the council, George W. Merrill, O. E. Hohbie. Robert Foster, Theo. Crilly and A. T. Lewis; recorder, W. I7. Hall. James R. Smith was appointed marshal, but declined, and Augustus Darrow was named in his place. R. H. Hanna was the first town attorney. The present officers are as follows: Mayor, D. S. Buffington ; clerk. M. D. Hanft ; marshall, J. M. Green: assessor, J. D. Darrow; councilmen. J. B. Johnson, J. J. Stapp, T. J. Bolenbeck, R. J. Reaney, and O. M. Cavin.

The first public school taught in Columbus Junction was in a small house built for that purpose a couple of years after the town was started. Before that, however, Miss Kitty Truesdell had taught a select school. Among the early school teachers were Miss Sarah White, Mr. Slater and A. W. Hall. At one time the building owned by Asa Merrill was used for school purposes. This was in 1874. Afterward the building which was erected for a court house was used for a few years for school purposes and in the fall of 1882 a fine school build- ing was erected on Front street. Professor Edwards was the first principal in the new building and afterwards Professor J. EC. Pickett was principal, next Pro- fessor G. H. Mullen, who has been one of the noted educators of the state, but is now retired. The present superintendent of the Columbus Junction schools is Professor G. W. Weber and the schools use both the building once erected for a court house and the school building.

Beginning about 1872 there was considerable agitation in the north end of the county for a removal of the county seat from Wapello to Columbus Junction. A petition was finally circulated for an election and at the same time the citizens of the north end of the county subscribed a fund of about $25,000 and erected a fine two-story brick building suitable for a court house and placed the title in five trustees, namely: Francis Springer, N. M. Letts and F. A. Duncan. W. W. ( iarner and O. E. Hobbie.

A long and bitter contest ensued between Columbus Junction and Wapello, and much ill feeling was generated and many harsh and uncalled for things were said by people on each side about people on the other, but it would serve no use- ful purpose to recite them here.

A number of elections were had, at various times. Some were authorized by law and some turned out not to be legal. Much litigation was indulged in on both sides. The election held on October 12th, 1875. was a lively one in every sense of the word ; it was attended by every legal voter in the county, and possibly a few more. Wapello was victorious at the election by twenty majority, which showed that the people of the county were pretty evenly divided. It was freely charged that the Columbus Junction folks had imported a lot of illegal voters especially for this election, but in view of the vote polled at the ensuing election, in 1876, impartial history must refute the charge. It appears that the total vote cast in Columbus City township at the county seat election in 1875 was 717, and the total vote there in the following year was 704. Had there been a very large illegal vote in 1875 the "shrinkage" in 1876 would have been much more than thirteen.

Following is the vote by townships on the county seat question in 1875. also the total vote of that year, and the total vote of each township at the presidential election in 1876:

318 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

VOTE AT THE COUNTY SF.AT ELECTION, OCT. 12, 1875

Wapello

Columbus City township 18

Concord township 5

Elliott township 82

Elm Grove township 10

Grandview township 158

Jefferson township 200

Marshall township 133

Morning Sun township 322

Oakland township 3

Port Louisa township 158

Union township

Wapello township 506

Columbus	Total	Total
Junction	vote	vote, 1876
699	717	704
172	177	173
	82	77
137	M7	"5
185	343	330
	209	158
62	195	i95
4i	363	387
126	129	120
10	168	i45
137	137	146
13	519	416

1604 1584 3188 2966

Columbus City Lodge No. 107, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, was instituted under a dispensation of the Iowa Grand Lodge February 24, 1857, with W. D. Trebilcock, W. M. ; J. F. Reiner, S. W. ; William S. Allen. J. W. Meetings were first held in the hall over the store of Harrison & Barrett, in Columbus City. It next met in the second story of the drug store building of Clark & Coleman, and afterwards was established in the third story of the brick building erected by Harrison & Barrett. In 1876 at was removed to Columbus Junction, and secured a hall over the store then kept by Easton & Brown, where it has held its meetings ever since. Since its removal to Colum- bus Junction the lodge has grown in numbers and strength and is recognized as one of the strongest Masonic institutions of the county.

Columbus Junction has a Woodman Lodge, an Odd Fellows Lodge, and a K. of P. Lodge, but we have not the particulars as to their organization or officers. The K. of P. Lodge is named Liberty Lodge, No. 22, and was first organized at Columbus City. It was reorganized at Columbus Junction in 1880. One of the members of this lodge — Hon. F. M. Molsberry — was Grand Chan- cellor of the state a few years ago.

The newspapers now published at the Junction arc the Safeguard and the Gazette ; the former was started by R. H. Moore at Columbus City, but later removed to the Junction. Paul Maclean and J. B. Hungerford, both prominent newspaper men of Iowa today, were at one time connected with the Safeguard. The Gazette was started by O. I. Jamison, and it was in this office that Hon. W. D. Jamison, now of the Shenandoah World, began his career as a journalist.

Some years ago the Columbus Junction Herald was published there. Samuel Crocker, J. G. Sehorn, and, we believe, W. S. Jarboe. were connected with it.

Columbus Junction also has its full share of churches, the Methodist, Presby- terian and Evangelical being the best represented there.

One of the institutions in which the people of Columbus Junction and the surrounding country take great pride, is the Columbus Junction Chautauqua.

Rock Islam] Bridge

Looking North on Main Street

High School

Methodist Episcopal Church

		" i	W11**-
				"
tffc« -*!	i	a^ ...	^^^M

Gilbert House

Rock Island Bridge

COLUMBUS JUNCTION VIEWS

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 319

This is one of the pioneers in this line of work in southeastern Iowa, and has been a marked success, both as a source of entertainment, and as a means of promoting the moral and intellectual development of the community. The association owns a beautiful grove covering some twenty acres, which is recog- nized as an ideal location.

The population of Columbus Junction, as shown by recent enumerations, has been as follows: 1885 — 965; 1890 — 953; 1895 — 1,048; 1900 — 1,099; 1905 — 1,127.

UNION TOWNSHIP.

This was so long a part of Columbus City township that it has very little early history not already given. In addition to the early settlers named, this township has furnished a number of men well known in the county. The Colton family first settled in Union township and so did Andrew Gamble. During the ten years that we had a supervisor from each township. Union township was rep- resented by Robert A. White, James Harmon. Robert Carson and S. N. Spurgeon. Peter Rinely was for many years a justice of the peace, and so was John Het- field. Others whose names are associated with Union township affairs, are Wm. T. Blair, Nelson Alloway, Joshua Lucky, Adam Crim, Thomas Ogier. Geo. W. Duncan, Asher Dennis, Josiah Orr, Mathew Edmundson.

The only town ever platted in Union township is Gladwin, situated in the central part of the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 28, 76-5, on the south side of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad. It was laid out by W. I. Blanchard and J. L. Giesler, Sept. 18, 1903.

OAKVTLLE.

was laid out by Abe and Harry T. Parsons, December 11, 1891, on the north- west quarter of the northwest quarter of section 25, township 73 north, range 2 west, south of the Iowa Central railroad. The original town consisting of three blocks, containing in all thirty-five lots. Since then additions to Oakville have been laid out as follows : Downey's addition, by John and Elizabeth Downey, May 6, 1895; Elrick's addition, laid out by James W. Elrick, December 19, 1895; Elrick's second addition laid out by James W. Elrick, May 28, 1897; Brader's addition laid out by John H. Brader, May 7, 1898; and Downey's sec- ond addition laid out by John and Elizabeth Downey, October 21, 1898; Parson's addition to Oakville laid out by Abe Parsons, June 18, 1901 ; Waterhouse's ad- dition to Oakville laid out by Alice M. Waterhouse, June 29. 1901 ; Roderick's addition to Oakville laid out by John L. Roderick, May 9, 1902; Carter's ad- dition to Oakville laid May 4. 191 1; and Williams' addition to Oakville laid out by W. B. Williams, September 4, 191 1.

The Oakvillian who promised a history of that flourishing and enterprising town, has failed us. The first postoffice in that vicinity was Palo Alto. Oakville was incorporated by the District Court on petition of Geo. L. Seevers and 29 others, filed Sept. 5th. 1902. The court appointed M. P. Cook, E. J. McFadden, H. T. Parsons, E. M. Bell and J. C. Thomson, commissioners, and they held an election on Sept. 30 on the question of incorporation. The vote was 45 for to 28 against. The first election for officers was held on Oct. 21, 1902, at which

320 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

the following were chosen: Mayor, II. T. Parsons; clerk, E. M. Bell; treasurer, E. J. McFadden ; council. W. E. Lynn, W. D. Carter, J. A. Duncan, D. D. Mar- shall, W. T. Waterhouse, Bert Gawthrop.

Oakville has two railroads, two banks, good schools, good churches, and is a splendid trading point, whether one wants to buy or sell, and its people, and the people of the country around it, average up with the best in the county.

The population of Oakville in 1895 was given at 87, in 1905, at 317, and in iQ 10, at 389.

Two other town-- have been laid out in Eliot township, as follows :

ELRICK,

laid out by Jacob W. Elrick, October 3, 1891, on the west half of the southwest quarter of section 28, and the east half of the southeast quarter of section 29, all in township 73-2. The greater part of this town has since been vacated. This town of Elrick was laid out immediately east of Smith creek where the Iowa Central railway crosses it. and

Elrick Junction, laid out by H. O. Weaver, March 7, 1899. It is in the north half of the northwest quarter of section 29, jy2, north of the Iowa Central railway track.

The town of Elrick is practically abandoned ; Elrick Junction is located at the place where the M. N. & S. Ry. connects with Iowa Central, and has a good general store, and a hotel.

Other towns, not already referred to. are :

CANNONSBURGH,

laid out by R. B. Cannon on the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 28, township 74 north, range 5 west, surveyed by John Huston, April 2, 1856. This was an "Air Line" town. J. E. Nesbit had a store here, but the "town" lias long since passed away.

MARSH,

laid out by Moses Chilson, December 10, 1884, situated on the northeast quarter of section 30, 73-4, and it adjoins the Iowa Central railway right of way on the north.

NEWPORT,

laid out by Harriet H. Briggs. December 23, 1885, on the northwest part of the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 27, 73-3.

WYMAN,

laid out by T. W. Barhydt, trustee, in the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter and the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 30, 74-5. Wyman is the only town in Elm Grove township, and is a good trading point, especially since the establishment of the new bank there.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 321

BURRIS CITY.

To write the story of the rise and fall of Burris City seems almost like delv- ing- into the musty archives of ancient or medieval history and tracing- the growth and decline of a Babylon or Ninevah. But Burris City was a real and pretentious city of more than a thousand souls, but little more than a half century ago; now, the casual visitor finds only here and there a broken fragment of stone or pottery, a slight mound or depression to mark the spot where once stood this thriving village. Seldom, indeed, has so short a time witnessed so complete an obliteration of so extensive and costly a monument of man's ambi- tion.

Burris City was laid out and platted in 1855, and in the two following years the most of the building was done.

[n 1857 Burris City was at the zenith of its glory; there were five or six- good stores, a large warehouse, a drug store owned by Dr. B. G. Neal. The Ellsworth Hotel, a brick structure two stories high, was the best hotel building at that time in the count}-. All the products of the surrounding country found here a ready market ; several hundred men engaged in grading the Air Line Railroad were quartered here, many with their families. A sawmill was cutting the native timber into building and bridge material, and the town was humming with industry.

On April 6, 1855, a city election was held and the following officers elected: Lysander Wicks, mayor ; J. F. Howard, marshal ; Martin Mason, recorder ; Chas. S. McLane, treasurer ; aldermen, first ward, A. M. Steward ; Henry M. Debolt, Jay Martin : aldermen, second ward, Frederick Gruber, C. P. Norton, and S. L. Hauk; aldermen, third ward, A. Moon, J. Moon, and M. Norris.

July 24, 1857. the Burris City Hotel Company was incorporated, with an authorized capital stock of not exceeding forty thousand dollars. Incorporators were: N. W. Burris, J. M. Bloomfield, A. Key, J. T. Burris, B. G. Neal, A. Millen, John Eichelberger, Lysander Wicks. J. M. Albert, R. W. 'Wilson, and Franklin Bras.

September 16, 1857, The Burris Manufacturing Company filed articles of incorporation, with authorized capital stock of two hundred thousand dollars ; shares, five hundred dollars each, with a provision that said company could commence operation after twenty-five shares were taken by as many individuals. Among the stockholders whose names are recorded are James Harlan, Francis Springer, Alfred T. Burris, G. A. Ellsworth, Wm. Baker, Frank Bras, Wm. L. Toole. J. L. Grubb, Jno. R. Sisson, C. R. Dugdale.

The assessment of lots owned by N. W. Burris in Burris City as certified to by J. M. Bloomfield, consists of tzt'o thousand, eight hundred and forty-eight lots, ranging in value from three hundred dollars to four hundred and fifty dollars each, and amounting to the aggregate sum of one million, one hundred and fifty-eight thousand, one hundred dollars. On the tax books for 1859 the greater part of these lots were assessed to "unknown owners," at from twenty- five dollars to fifty dollars each.

Certificates to the 1855 assessment are as follows :

"I, J. M. Bloomfield, of the City of Burris, Louisa County, Iowa, hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the assessments of the lots in said

322 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

city belonging to X. W. Burris as it appears by record and which was assessed by me. Witness my hand this 27th of May, 1857.

J. M. Bloomfield,

Assessor."

"I, L. Wicks, mayor of the city of Burris, Louisa Co., Iowa, hereby cer- tify that J. M. Bloomfield, which name appears on the foregoing certificate and who with the same as assessor of said city of Burris, was duly elected and qualified and is now assessor and his acts as such is entitled to true credit. I also certify that the signature purporting to be his is Jenuwine. Witness my hand this 27th da}- of May, 1857.

L. Wicks, Attest : Mayor.

M. Mason, Recorder."

State of Iowa, Louisa County, ss.

"I, John Hale, Clerk of the District Court of said county, do hereby certify that L. Wicks, and J. M. Bloomfield, whose names are subscribed to the foregoing certificate as mayor and assessor of the city of Burris. were on the 6th day of April, A. D. 1857, elected to said office as appears of record in my office. In testi- mony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of said Court at Wapello, this 4th day of June, 1857.

John Hale, Clerk Dist. Court, Louisa County, Iowa."

A map of Louisa County, issued by C. R. Dugdale in 1858, shows the Air Line railroad running through the county, also the Keokuk, Mt. Pleasant and Musca- tine Railroad running north through Marshall township, just west of the old W. A. Helmick place, to Columbus City; this was said to be under contract and partly completed.

Many persons still living in the county and their descendants have cause to remember this costly "mirage" which they followed as many had done before, and man}- have done since, to disaster and ruin.

In justice to the promoters of the Burris City enterprise it may be truly said that they all went down together ; not one, so far as the records show, but came out of the speculation a loser.

Burris, as it was originally called, was laid out by X. W. Burris in 1855, and contained over five thousand lots. It was incorporated by a special act of the Legislature, approved January 28, 1857, and after this it was known as Burris City.

Rut for the fatal defect of nature's creation — the lack of sufficient elevation — the location of Burris City was geographically ideal ; situated midway between the cities of Burlington and Muscatine, on the bank of the great Mississippi river, and at the mouth of the Iowa river, its riparian advantages were equalled by but few, and surpassed by no inland city in the United States.

But the much vaunted strength of Burris City proved its weakness in the end; the melting snows from thousands of square miles of rolling prairies, joined

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 323

with the abundant spring rains, brought the annual overflow and Burris City, sub-aqueous, aquatic Burris City, like the securities issued by its founder, failed from a superabundance of water.

The exodus of the settlers of Burris City in 1858 and 1859 was as rapid as had been their incoming. The failure of the Air Line railroad, and the overflow of the waters disheartened the promoters and created a veritable panic among the inhabitants ; many forsook their houses and in many cases, penniless, fled to more favored locations. Some of the frame buildings were sold to the farmers and others and were cut in sections and hauled away to all parts of the county. The abandoned town site, once valued more than a million dollars, was picked up by piece meal at tax sales, and is now used for grazing purposes.

Sic transit gloria mundi.

[The foregoing article on Burris City was written by Mr. }. R. Smith, who, as a boy, often visited it and traded at its stores.]

The following, from another eye witness, was printed in the Humming Bird, a small monthly paper published in Muscatine. The issue we quote from is dated June, 1874.

"RECOLLECTIONS OF BURRIS CITY THE CITY AS IT WAS IN 1857-8 ITS GROWTH,

PROSPERITY', DECLINE AND ENTIRE DISAPPEARANCE — BY N. QUAD

"A passenger on one of our Mississippi packets will see nothing to indicate that a few short years ago a lively and prosperous town of 600 to 700 inhabitants and supporting a city charter with Mayor (Lysander Weeks) and other metro- politan officials, occupied the broad, flat, marshy region embracing about a sec- tion of land bounded by a high bluff on the west, on the east by the Mississippi river and by the Iowa on the south, in Louisa County, this State. The most reck- less speculator would not for a moment entertain the thought of locating a town there now. Even 'Coal Oil Johnny' could not be induced to purchase the land if it were offered at $10 per acre. Yet we know parties who paid $10 per foot (front) for desirable lots on Second street, and refused an advance on the pur- chase price. At this time (in i857-'8) there was considerable excitement in Burris City in anticipation of the 'early completion of the Great American Central Rail- way,' which was partially graded and on which Burris was to be an important point. Maps were printed and distributed all over the country at an immense ex- pense, showing the city as a second New York in size and importance. It is need- less to say that the map was slightly overdrawn. It is said that a drunken man sees 'double.' Taking this to be true, we conclude that fifteen or twenty engravers, all drunk, had each a hand in preparing the stone upon which the map was printed.

"Mr. Nathan Burris, proprietor of the town, was a young man of probably 36 to 40 years, very active, large hearted, and above all, honest in his dealings with his fellow men. He was firmly impressed with the belief that he had 'struck oil' — that the place would of necessity be one of the largest and most prosperous in the Mississippi Valley, and for a time many others were of the same opinion. Vain hope ! The town with its large brick hotels, general stores, drug stores, its mill, its printing office, furniture store, carpenter shops and numerous other estab-

324 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

lishments, where are they now ? Where are the lawyers, and doctors, the me- chanics and laborers, and their wives, sons and daughters ? They are scattered like chaff in a gale. They may be found in all parts of the world. But there are many whom we will never meet again on earth. They have gone to a City whose corner lots will never depreciate, whose streets are never muddy and whose skies are ever bright ! Among these are the good wife of Nathan Burris, who departed thi> life in 1S58. Our readers must pardon us for the belief that her death was the death of the town whose obituary we feel called upon to write. Her husband's loss weighed heavily upon him. His ambition was gone, his energy had departed, anil he walked the streets, not as the active business man, not with the elastic step, the pleasant smile and bow and ready hand for the friends he met, but with a broken down, dejected air, paying little or no attention to those whom he met. He remained at Burris City only a short time after his wife died. After disposing of the greater portion of his property and settling up his business, he went west in the hope of recuperating his health and former physical strength rather than filling his depleted exchequer. From the day of his departure, the town seemed to be on a down grade, and it had grown beautifully less by degrees until in 1868 (I think) the last building — an old warehouse — was removed, leaving nothing to mark the spot where a few year- ago were heard the click of type, the ring of the anvil, the blowing of steam whistles, the hum of business in all its branches, and the hurried tread of the crowd that thronged the sidewalk. The locality has no attractions now save for the rattlesnake, crawfish and bullfrog, whose right and title to the place is undisputed, and whose musical accomplishments, so varied and yet so charmingly blended, render it a most inviting spot to those who are haunted by melancholy and desire to commit suicide.

"A levee thrown up at great expense along the bank of the Iowa river to pre- vent the overflow of the low lands upon which the town was built was washed away by the high waters, and skiffs and flatboats were the fashionable vehicles of the denizens for several weeks, when the waters receded, leaving numerous beds of the finny tribe in the pools on every hand. The Stafford House, built of brick, was kept in good style by Charles W. Stafford, and had one time during the winter of i857-'s8, eighty-four regular boarders. About forty of these were wood choppers, who worked in the large timber a short distance below town.

"A Guernsey press was purchased by Mr. Burris for Edward Stafford, who had proposed to publish a paper in Burris City, but failed to remove his office from New Boston before a mortgage sale removed it to the type foundry. The press stood in the old warehouse until it was purchased by John Mahin and brought to Muscatine. The Journal was printed upon this press until 1870.

"A sawmill a short distance above town and the Brick Makers at Black Hawk did a good business while the town was being built

"Our residence in Burris City was of short duration, and our individual ex- perience brief. We engaged to work in the winter of 1858 for Dunlap & Ells- worth, who, like many other sensible men have foolishly done, launched upon the literary sea, a 28-column weekly newspaper, known as the Burris Iowan. The town had at that time about 500 or 600 inhabitants, several dry goods, grocery and drug stores, and nearly every business usually represented in a town of that size. Mr. Dunlap was a lawyer, and Mr. George W. Ellsworth was a druggist, and by the way, proprietor of as fine an establishment of the kind as can be

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 325

found in Muscatine today. Neither of the partners knew anything about the business, and Mr. D. being a lawyer, with more brains than money, and a [earful appetite for an article sometimes kept in drugstores, Mr. Ellsworth, as a natural result was compelled to pay all bills and gratuitously furnish fuel to run the edi- torial engine. Well, the Burris Iowan was born, blessed, buried and cursed, all within two short months. The writer of this article, then a youth of 19 summers, propelled the Burris Iowan, taking orders on the hotel and drugstore for pay, until forbearance ceased to be a virtue, when one day there was a 'strike' and the paper suspended. Previous to this time, however, sometime in 1857, a very re- spectable paper was printed at Burris. by the Robinson Bros. It was gotten up in good style neatly printed and filled with the choicest matter and newsy. I do not know how long it was printed, but probably not more than five or six months. In i856-'57 Ed. Stafford, a man of considerable talent and an immense area of cheek, and in whom few men had so much confidence as 'Nate' Burris, published the New Boston Reporter and Burris Commercial, a 32-column weekly paper at New Boston, 111., two miles below Burris City."

COLUMBUS CITY.

What seems to be the plat of the original town of Columbus City is certified to by John Gilliland, county surveyor, but is not dated. It was laid out by David Mortimore as proprietor. The streets from north to south were named as follows : Utah, Mulberry, Church, Philadelphia, Market, Main, Jefferson, Washington and Spring. Beginning on the east side, the north and south streets were named as follows : Water. Pearl, Chestnut, Columbus, Iowa, Burlington and Hamilton. Market street was 150 feet wide, Alain, Philadelphia, Colum- bus, Iowa, Burlington, Chestnut and Pearl streets were 100 feet wide, and the others 75 feet wide. Most of the lots were 50x150 feet. The streets bore north twenty-nine degrees east, by north sixty-one degrees west. The plat does not state on what ground the town was laid out but on the back of it is a certified acknowledgment, dated June 18, 1840, made by John Gilliland, justice of the peace, which he certifies that on that day David Mortimore acknowledged the instrument to be the original plat and plan of Columbus City.

Rice and Mortimore advertised a sale of lots in Columbus City to be held on Thursday, July 16, 1840. The notice of the sale which they had printed and circulated at the time is an interesting and valuable historical item and we are under obligations to Colonel J. W. Garner for one of the original copies. It is as follows :

Columbus City — Yaluable Town Lots at Public Sale.

There will be several hundred in-lots offered at Public Auction, commencing on Thursday, the 16th July, 1840, on the premises.

This town is beautifully situated one and a half miles south of the forks of the Iowa and Cedar rivers, in Louisa County, Territory of Iowa, about half way from Iowa City to Burlington, immediately on the main Territorial roads, one running from Iowa City to Burlington, crossing the river at Sturges' Ferry, and the other running from Wapello to Iowa City, crossing the river at the Forks ; there are also several other roads crossing through this place.

326 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

The location is upon a beautiful elevation where the timber and prairie intersect, it is also surrounded by a large body of choice farming land not sur- passed bv any other portion of the territory, and this portion of country is set- tling thick and fast.

As regards health, Columbus City has the advantage of choice spring and well water and fine rolling prairies, varying from one to three miles in width, passing on the south and extending many miles up the river, and is bounded on the north by a large body of choice timber.

There are several buildings now in progress, and there will be one or more mills in operation by next fall.

Steam Boats have been and can run up to this point, which, with other advantages will doubtless make this one of the most flourishing and interesting towns in the Territory.

Emigrants and others who wish to make investments of money in good town property are respectfully requested to attend this sale, as a view of the place, together with a knowledge of the Territory, will doubtless convince all that this is an important point.

Terms of sale — one fourth of the purchase money in hand, the balance in two equal payments, six and twelve months.

Levi Rice,

David Mortimore,

June 15th, 1840. Proprietors.

The above plat was probably located chiefly in the northwest quarter of section 31, township 75 north, range 4 west, and possibly extended over north into the southwest quarter of section 30. David Mortimore and Levi Rice were interested together in what is known as the old town of Columbus City, and the records of original entries show that Levi Rice entered the west half of section 31 and the southwest quarter of section 30. The angle of the bearing of the streets also points to the same conclusion, because it seems that the old road from Wapello to the ferry across the Iowa river had about the same bearing and direction as the north and south streets in this plat would have. It would also appear by the advertisement for the sale of lots in Columbus City as made and published by Edward F. Willson and others in 1841 that the town as laid out by Edward F. Willson was not in the same location as the one laid out by Mortimore and Rice.

Edward F. Willson's plat of Columbus City, laid out March 23, 1841. The streets shown on this plat running east and west were as follows, beginning at the north: Mulberry, Church, Philadelphia, Market, Main, Jefferson, Wash- ington and Pring, and the north and south streets beginning at the east were Water, Pearl, Chestnut, Columbus, Iowa and Arlington. Most of the lots were 50x150 feet and all streets were 75 feet wide except Main and Market streets, which were 100 feet in width. The plat does not state upon what particular ground it is located but we know it was located in the northeast quarter of sec- tion 36, township 75 north, range 5 west, being just a little west of the town as laid out by Mortimore and Rice. The land was entered by David Dix and conveyed to Edward F. Willson. who at that time lived in Burlington.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 327

Immediately after the laving out of Willson's addition, as it was then called, but Columbus City, as it is now called. Mr. Willson seems to have conveyed a large number of lots to the half dozen other men whose names are signed to the following notice, which seems to have been published in the Burlington Patriot not long after its date.

''emigrants to iowa !

"The subscribers having located the plat of Columbus City upon a more elevated and advantageous site than heretofore, are now prepared to dispose of lots upon the most favorable terms. Viewing it as a matter of the highest import- ance that the youth of our Territory should enjoy the privilege of a thorough academic and collegiate education, arrangements are now in progress for the erection of a suitable building to be put up immediately for the reception of pupils of both sexes the present season. . . . Columbus City is situated in Louisa County, at the confluence of the Iowa and Cedar Rivers, on a beautiful rolling and healthy prairie, abounding with as fine springs of running water as are to be found in any of the Eastern States. ... As six or eight of the most public thoroughfares in the Territory centre at this point, it will conse- quently be the great deposits for pork, and produce generally, in this part of the

Territory. . . .

Edward F. Willson, J. M. Robertson, William Reynolds, C. M. McDaniel. William L. Toole, Samuel Hutchison,

Proprietors. March 25, 1841."

Rice and Mortimore had a great many lawsuits beginning about the time they laid out the old town of Columbus City. The result seems to have been that David Mortimore acquired the interest of Rice in the town plat. Mr. Morti- more was anxious to give his new town a good start by providing for a seminary of learning, and this resulted in a very interesting and curious incident of more than local importance. On December 1, 1840, William L. Toole, who was then a member of the territorial legislature from this county, introduced House File No. 41, entitled "A bill to establish a seminary of learning at Columbus City in Louisa county." On December 2d this bill was read a second time and on motion of David Hendershot, of Des Moines county, it was made the order of the day for Friday, December 4th. On December 4th, on motion of Mr. Toole the house resolved itself into a committee of the whole house for the purpose of consider- ing this bill. After some time spent in consideration of the bill. Mr. Teeple. chairman of the committee of the whole, reported that the committee had directed him to report the bill back to the house with certain amendments, which were then agreed to by the house. The journal of the house does not state what these amendments were but we may presume from the record which follows that these amendments were to strike out the lottery plan of selling certain lots to raise money for the erection of a seminary of learning and insert instead a provision

328 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

to sell the lots by a public or private sale. After these amendments were agreed to it seems that Mr. Toole and the friends of the bill were not satisfied and the bill was referred to the committee on incorporations. This committee consisted of David Hendershot, of Des Moines county. James Brierly, of Lee county, and Timothy Mason, of Dubuque county.

The committee soon after reported the bill without change and it was laid on the table. Mr. Hendershot from the minority of the committee made a report and submitted with this report a new bill, House File, No. 86. We may gather what the new bill contained from the report of Mr. Hendershot, from which we make the following extracts: "The objects of the bill are expressed in its title and the seminary proposed to be established is intended for the education of youth of both sexes. The bill provides for a donation of forty lots of ground in Columbus City, being a donation by Mr. David Mortimore, by the --ale of which, as provided in said bill, a fund is expected to be raised sufficient to put the seminary into immediate operation. To accomplish these objects, an act of in- corporation is asked for and in order to render this donation of town lots im- mediately available and also to enhance the fund derived from their sale, the bill asks the privilege to dispose of these lots by lottery. Objections to this clause of the bill led to its reference to your committee and to this subject the attention of the committee has been mostly directed."'

The report then proceeds at some length to discuss the subject of iotteries, severely condemning the ordinary lottery schemes and the way in which they are usually carried out, and deprecating their tendency to produce undue excitement and to promote a spirit of gambling, etc., and then says "but the lottery asked for in this bill is of a very different character. ... Its capital is a limited number of town lots of a value that every one understands. There cannot lie any fraudu- lent scheme proposed, for there is no bonus to cover, no profits to be made but what grows out of the sale of the lots, and all this is for the benefit of the com- munity who are deeply interested in promoting the means of education . . . and the drawing of such a lottery for such a purpose your committee cannot sup- pose will ever be likely to ripen into an injurious custom or to introduce any gambling habits into the community. Lesides, your committee are of the opinion that if this privilege is not granted in this bill the only mode by which the trustees can dispose of these lots, the only capital on which they depend for establishing the institution must be a private sale, or a sale at auction to the highest bidder. The process of the first will be so slow as to prevent the seminary from going into operation for years to come, like most others that have been chartered in this territory — and the last would sacrifice the property and defeat the beneficent de- sign of the donor."

The report estimated that, sold in either of these ways, the lots would bring from two to three thousand dollars, but disposed of by lottery they would bring from ten to twelve thousand dollars. The minority therefore recommended the passage of the bill with the privilege of disposing of the lots by lottery.

Final action on this matter was taken on December 21st, at which time the house then again went into a committee of the whole on the new bill of House File 86. The committee of the whole recommended an amendment and Mr. Sum- mers, of Scott county, moved to strike out the words "lottery or otherwise" and insert "public or private sale." This motion was carried by a vote of fifteen to

U. P. Church

Christian Church

Main Street

Public School m. E. Church

SCENES IN COLUMBUS CITY

L

: I

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 329

nine, as follows: Yeas: Avery, Box, Brierly, Isett, Lash, Lewis. Mason, Miller, Porter, Steel, Summers, Van Antwerp, Whitaker, Wilson of Henry county, and Wilson, of Jefferson county. Nays were Browning, Felkner, Hendershot Leffler, Robertson, Teeple, Toole, Walworth and Speaker Cox.

This action of the house killed the lottery plan and we may infer that the pro- moters felt that no other plan would be of any immediate benefit, for on motion of Mr. Hendershot, the enacting clause of the bill was stricken out.

There seems, however, to have been a Columbus City seminary organized in the year 1S41, for we find that Edward F. Willson deeded outlot No. 4 to the trustees of the Columbus City Seminary. This deed was dated October 22, 1841, and is recorded in Book B, Page 216.

No seminary building was ever constructed on outlot No. 4 and nothing seems to have been done with it until in January, 1847, when the state legislature passed an act authorizing Wesley W. Garner, James M. Robertson and William L. Toole to sell outlot No. 4 in Columbus City and to execute a conveyance there- for. The act provided that the proceeds should first be applied to the payment on the date accorded by the trustees of the Columbus City Seminary and that if any money should remain after the payment it should be invested in books for the use of some public library in Columbus City. It is understood that the principal part of the proceeds went to pay a debt due Dr. James M. Robertson from the Columbus City Seminary.

The earliest merchant mentioned in any Columbus City history is Italian Myler, who started a store there in 1842. His store sign was "I. Myler, Picayune Grocery." Mr. .Myler was a well digger and worked out at his trade much of the time, keeping his. store open on Saturdays and other days when there was likely to be a crowd in town. Myler was a noted character in Columbus City, and he often broke into county history by getting his name on the court docket. He continued in business until his death, in 1885, and at one time had quite a large business.

But according to the county records there were store keepers in Columbus City much earlier than 1842. Some were in the old town. We find that on August 15, 1840, a license to sell merchandise was granted to Gildea & McGan- non, and their place of business was given as Columbus City. And on December 11, 1840, a similar license was granted to G. B. Alexander & Company located at Columbus City. Charles Wightman. afterward a prominent citizen of Bur- lington, and at one time County Judge of Des Moines County, was either a clerk or a partner in the store of Alexander & Company. These two stores were in the old town, of course, as the other was not laid out until 1841. It is likely that the first real store, or at least among the first, at Columbus City, was kept by Philip Gore. Mr. Gore deserves honorable mention as one of the pioneers in the founding of Columbus City. He was postmaster from 1845 to 1849 and was justice of the peace for a number of years and also School Fund Commis- sioner. He was a man of good character and of much more than ordinary ed- ucation. He was not, however, as is generally supposed, the first postmaster at Columbus City.

Following is a list of the postmasters at Columbus City, with the date of their appointment, as given by the postoffice department up to 1864 : Tobias Hammer, appointed March 3, 1843; Uriah Limbocker, June 14, 1844; Philip Gore. June

330 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

14, 1845; John Gardner. February 19. 1849: J. A. Luckett, April 23, 1849; Ben- jamin G. Neal, June 10, 1854: William M. Clark, June 19, 1851 ; John Gardner. April 17, 1852; William A. Colton, June 24. 1854; William G. Allen. September 8, 1857; William O. Kulp, June 9, 1859; William G. Allen, July 1, 1859; Elisha T. Williamson, May 4, 1861 ; James Goble, February 9, 1866. There was a time after the appointment of J. A. Luckett when Colonel W. W. Garner was in charge of the postoffice. but his name does not appear in the list furnished from the post- office department. There is a tradition that William H. R. Thomas was post- master at Columbus City at a very early day, supposed to have been prior to 1843, but it may well be doubted whether this tradition has any foundation.

A little later there were some first-class stores in Columbus City and for many years it was one of the leading trading points in the county, its trade extending into Muscatine, Johnson, Washington and Henry counties.

One of the leading firms for some years was Fitch & Luckett and X. G. Fitch & Company, and another was Harrison & Barrett. The first drug store was opened by the firm of Clark & Colton. both being doctors.

The first physicians to locate in Columbus City were Dr. J. M. Robertson. Dr. E. H. Skillman, Dr. John Bell. Dr. John Cleaves, Dr. William M. Clark, Dr. B. ( ,. Xeal. Dr. William A. Colton, and Dr. W. S. Robertson and they came in about the order named here.

The earlv tavern keepers were Dr. Skillman, Philip Gore and John Gardner.

The first hardware store was established by Colonel W. W. Garner in the year 1850 or 1 85 1. This was the first store of its kind in either Louisa or Wash- ington counties and commanded a very large trade.

We have a number of shipping bills connected with the business of Colonel Garner, which throw some light on the means of transportation in those days, the freight charged, etc. The first is dated April 22, 1851, and is as follows:

"Mr. W. W. Garner, to Steamer Black Hawk. Dr.

To Freight on 8732 lb. Iron at 40c pr. 100 $34-93

To Freight on Lot from Burlington I-°°

$35-93 April 22d. 1851. Rec'd Pay't, W. M. Zalzell, Clerk."

The above does not state where the 8732 pounds of iron came from but we are informed it came from St. Louis.

Another shipping bill is dated April 17, 1852, from John Phillips & Company of St. Louis, by the steamboat called the Black Hawk, of some iron and steel at forty cents per hundred pounds, to be delivered near Columbus City.

Another shipping bill is from the same firm, October 19, 1852, by the steam- boat Milton— a shipment of hardware to be delivered at Port Louisa, consigned to Lockwood & Williamson at the rate of fifty cents a hundred.

Another bill is for goods shipped by Colonel W. W. Garner from Todd's Landing. June 6, 1853, by the steamboat Daniel Hillman, for Brown, Phillips & Company," of St. Louis. The shipment was for thirty-six sacks of flaxseed at the rate of fourteen cents per bushel.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 331

The project of building a bridge across the Iowa river at or near the forks ■of the Cedar and Iowa was broached as early as 1850 by the people of Columbus City who were greatly interested in it. The first meeting toward this end of which we have any knowledge was held March 27, 1850. At least we may pre- sume it was so held, because of the following notice :

"ISRIDGE MEETING.

"It is in contemplation tc build a Bridge across the Iowa river, at or near the forks of Cedar and Iowa. In this project the whole State has an interest; but those more immediately interested, on the west side of the river, are persons re- siding between English river and Virginia Grove, and as far west as Keokuk and Mahaska counties. A general meeting will be held at Columbus City, on Wed- nesday, 27th of March inst, at noon of the day, to talk about it and see how much money can be raised. Let everybody come.

"Columbus City, March 11, 1850."

The above notice is copied from one of the original bills printed and circulated at the time.

Another project that interested the people of Columbus City in those days was the proposed extension of the plank road leading north from Burlington, and it would seem from the following notice, which is copied from one of the original bills, that a meeting was held for this purpose at Columbus City on March 12, 1852:

"PLANKROAD MEETING!

"THERE will be a Plankroad meeting at the School House, in Columbus City, on Friday, the 12th day of March next, the object of which will be to make our arrangements for the extension of the Burlington and Louisa County Plank- road to Columbus City. All that feel an interest in such an enterprise are re- quested to attend.

Philip Gore, Alfred Limbarker, W. W. Garner, Committee of Correspondence. "Columbus City, Feb. 27th, 1852."

The name Limbarker is a misprint ; it should be Limbocker.

The plank road from Eiurlington north was built by the Burlington & Vir- ginia Grove Plank Road Company, incorporated in 1851. We are not able to state just how far north from Burlington the road was actually built but it was at least as far as Dodgeville. The first officers of this company were : President, Hiram Leonard, Yellow Springs ; treasurer, John G. Foote, Burlington ; directors, William M. Graham, Honey Creek, Luke Palmer. Burlington, S. Fullenwider, Yellow Springs, Abner Leonard, Hint River and T. B. Crocker, Burlington, secretary. The capital stock of the company was fixed by the article at $60,000 in shares of $50 each, and it was authorized to do business as soon as $5,000 of the stock was taken.

We have before us a few copies of the Columbus City Courier edited by B.

332 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

G. Neal, M. D. Number one of Volume I is dated April 8, 1856. This is said to be the first newspaper ever published in Columbus City. The writer is of the opinion that there was a paper published in Columbus City in 1855 and it may be that before this goes to press this fact can be definitely determined. The pros- pectus of the paper is dated April 3, 1856, and is signed by J. L. Grubb, W. M. Clark and B. G. Neal. styling themselves "committee of publication." .Many in- teresting items in regard to the Columbus City of that day and its hopes and prospects are to be found in this first issue. The first article in the editorial part of the paper is entitled "Salutation," and we make the following extracts from it :

"In order to keep pace with our flourishing village and surrounding country, a company of gentlemen in this town formed themselves into an organized body for the purpose of procuring the material necessary for publishing a respectable paper in this place — which object being accomplished, with pride we lay before you today the first number. . . . Railroads are approaching us from all im- portant directions, and commercially our village will soon be connected with the great center of circulation — so that there is no more danger that Columbus City will become isolated and fall into decay. The gassing for a fine seminary has all been completed and the more substantial part put in a fair way of accomplish- ing the work. Our prairies are fast filling up with intelligent and enterprising men who think more of good houses and large fields than of dieir dogs and guns. So the idea of having a Newspaper in Columbus City cannot be considered pre- mature, but at the same time it is hoped that all good citizens will come up promptly to the support of their own paper. . . ."

This e litorial is followed by another which is so full of interesting information in regard to the town and its prospects at that time that we copy substantially the entire article. It is as follows:

"Columbus City is situated on an elevated tract of land about midway between the Iowa River and Long Creek. It forms the center of an area of country which for beauty of landscape scenery, fertility of soil and healthfulness of situ- ation, is rarely equaled. It is on the main travelled road leading from Muscatine west through the counties of Washington, Keokuk, Mahaska, Marion and so on to Council Bluffs. It is some twenty miles from Muscatine and about the same distance from Washington. It is also on the main road from Burlington to Iowa City, and nearlv equi-distant from each of those cities. It is convenient to large bodies of timber and to quarries of rock. Beds of coal have been found in the neighborhood. Dating the period of its growth about two years back, it contains now a population of near 500 inhabitants, and is rapidly growing. Besides being the central point of important roads from nearly every point of the compass, we possess the advantage of being on the line of the Keokuk. Mt. Pleasant and Mus- catine railroad — one of the most important roads we think in the western coun- try. In [une of last year a company was organized at Mt. Pleasant with a capital stock of two million dollars for the construction of this road. With less ex- penditure of noise and gas than any other company we know of, it has, we venture to say, made as much substantial progress as any other. Its able and efficient president. Col. Dewey, in a communication to the public, under date of October 31, 1855. speaking of the formation of the company and the prospects of the road says :

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 333

" "This road extends from the City of Keokuk, by way of Mt. Pleasant and Columbus City, to Muscatine, and thence connects by means of the Junction, and Davenport and Iowa City road, with the railroad bridge across the Missis- sippi river, at Rock Island. 'With these connections it traverses the counties of Lee, Henry, Louisa, Muscatine and Scott, five of the most productive and wealthy counties in the State of Iowa. It crosses and connects, directly and indirectly, with six railroads located across the State from East to West, and is intended to connect the permanently navigable waters of the Mississippi below the Des Moines rapids, with the river above the Rock Island obstructions. The construc- tion is therefore an enterprise of great importance to the people of the entire State, and to all others who are interested in the trade, present and prospective of the upper Mississippi. It is also regarded as a link of that chain of roads which must soon connect St. Paul in Minnesota, with the Mexican Gulf.'

"From Davenport to Muscatine the road is finished and in operation. The section of the road from Muscatine to the Iowa river will be completed in Octo- ber next. This will bring the road within some three miles of our town. But it stops not there. Mr. Taylor, of Wisconsin, an enterprising and experienced railroad contractor, is understood to have the contract for building the bridge over the Iowa and for grading the road on this side of the river. He is on the ground making preparations for a vigorous prosecution of the work. A pre- liminary survey of the road from this point to Keokuk shows the distance to be about seventy miles. The estimates of the engineer gives the cost of clearing, grubbing, grading, bridging and masonry of the entire line to be $529,363 for a first class road. Of public subscription the city of Keokuk has taken $100,000, the county of Henry and the town of Mt. Pleasant $150,000, and the county of Louisa, $50,000. Xot to mention other subscriptions along the line of the road, we are informed that the private subscriptions in Keokuk, Montrose and St. Louis amount to $100,000. From Keokuk north, the work is progressing with vigor. Judge Nash, the secretary of the company, under date of February 19, 1856, writes: 'We hope to have the road ready for freight and passengers in June, as far as Montrose. The engines, cars, spikes, etc. have already been purchased. The grading and masonry can be completed in six weeks after the spring opens. The ties are being delivered and all the means are now secured to complete this division without encumbering that or any other part of the road.'

"This county we have said has authorized a subscription of $50,000 to the capital stock of this road. This is well as far as it goes, and shows the preva- lence of the right spirit among our people. Our efforts must not cease here. Much more is expected of us. The company will draw upon us for a private subscription of at least $25,000."

This issue also contains the following business directory :

COLUMBUS CITY.

Hotels

Cottage House, corner of Columbus and Washington ; Columbus House, corner of Columbus and Jefferson.

334 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Physicians.

John Cleaves. West Side Market street: J. M & W. S. Robertson, southwest corner of town: Clark & Colton. south door Union building: B. G. Neal, west side of Market street ; Thomas Burns, Iowa street, north side.

Druggists.

Clark & Colton, south door Union building.

Merchants.

Harrison & Barratt. corner store Union building: Grubb & Allen, corner of Main and Columbus streets : X. G. Fitch, east side of Market street ; W. P. Miller, southeast corner of Main and Columbus street ; W. D. Moore, north side of Columbus street.

Iro,n>, Stoves & Furniture.

Garner & Reiner, corner of Columbus and Spring streets.

Groceries & Prozrisions.

H. Y. T. Huls, west side of Market street; Geo. T. Burroughs, east side Market street; J. O. Buffington & Co., corner of Columbus opposite Cottage House; Gamble & Wren, northeast corner Columbus and Main; I. M. Myler, Mechanics' Row.

Carpenters & House Joiners.

Warn & Kelley, corner of Columbus and Washington ; John Gentzler, west side of Market street ; M. M. Carson, corner of Main and Burlington streets ; John Orr. west side Main street ; Milton Richey, northwest corner of town.

Tailors. P. Rasley, Mechanics' Row; J. B. Freed, Mechanics' Row.

Shoemakers. Jacob Knott, east side Market street : Charles Johnson, Mechanics' Row.

Wagon Makers.

Darrow & Calhoun, south side Columbus street.

Blacksmiths.

Jacob Getts, south side Columbus street ; Shaum & Klotz, between Main and Market ; R. Stewart, west side Main street.

. luctioneer.

W. W. Paschal. Mechanics' Row."

Joseph Manners, whose name is not in the directory, advertises that he will commence the boot and shoe business in the south room of Esquire Denham's residence on the 15th of April.

In regard to the improvements that were in contemplation at this time, we

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 335

cannot do better than to quote the following article, also found in the same paper :

"On every hand we hear the busy notes of preparation for building, the coming season. Col. W. W. Garner will lead the way, as he has the material all on the ground for the erection of his new family residence. The seminary trustees are also collecting the material for the seminary building and there is no doubt but that the work will be put under contract in a short time and the building completed the present season. It is also in contemplation to build a new- district schoolhouse, the old one being unfit for further use. We earnestly hope that the citizens will vote a liberal tax for that purpose, that such a house will be built as will be an honor to the town and meet the wants of a rapidly increas- ing population. The Methodist church has also raised funds to build a house of worship, thirty-five feet wide by fifty feet in length. The house will be put under contract immediately and completed the present summer. Many of our citizens are making preparations to build family residences and numerous con- tracts are already let, so that we think we speak within the bounds of reason when we say that Columbus City will double its population within the next twelve, months. Why not? It is admitted on all hands that the country surrounding it is far in advance of the town, and a more fertile, beautiful and well cultivated country cannot be found in Iowa, and that is as much as need be said of any country. Add to this its beautiful location, its unrivalled healthfulness and the certainty that one of the best railroads in the state will pass through it, and another near enough for all practical purposes and then say if we have over- stated the bounds of probability or why Columbus City should not take rank with the best inland towns in Iowa."

X umber 2 of this paper was published according to its date on May 22, 1856. Among the advertisements we notice nearly a cqdumn given to Levi J. North's National Circus, advertised as "the largest company in the world," and to exhibit at Columbus City on Friday. June 6th.

The Wapello ferry, Charles Yanloon proprietor, also has an advertisement ; and there is an advertisement of a steam ferry at Keithsburg, S. H. Redmond, proprietor. There is an advertisement of. D. A. Chapman & Company of the Fredonia ferry, stating that they have a new boat.

It would seem from the following advertisement that in those good old days the cook was expected to work in the kitchen : "Wanted — A good cook. None need apply that is too nice to work in the kitchen. I. Myler."

We also notice in t lis paper Jesse Phillips' advertisement as a cooper: E. M. Ashford's advertisement as a brick and stone mason ; and T. Z. & D. M. Stark, as carpenters.

Number 4 of this paper was published June 5, 1856. and it contains the salu- tatory of Andrew Gamble, as editor. This salutatory is such an able and patriotic document and so characteristic of the honest and fearless old pioneers who wrote it that we copy it in full :

"Patrons of the Courier : The partiality of the Executive Committee who have charge of your paper, have selected me for its Editor. It is a new and untried field, in which I never have labored and I enter upon the discharge of my duties with the greatest reluctance. I shall not, therefore, make many pledges

336 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

or promises as to the manner in which your paper shall be conducted; hut simply say that I will give it the best attention I can, consistent with my other duties. The paper, as the prospectus indicates, will be "Independent on all subjects — Neutral in Nothing;' consequently, whilst I express my own opinions of prin- ciples of measures and of men, the columns of the paper will be always open, to a reasonable extent, to every person, who may either feel aggrieved or wish to be heard on any question or subject, interesting to the readers of the paper. The local news of our town, county and state, will always be first considered and constitute a prominent feature in the Courier. In regard to politics I deem it almost unnecessary to speak. Old party lines are lost and blotted out, and the great question now is, shall freedom or slavery be dominant, in the United States. On such an issue I have no hesitancy in ranking myself on the side of Freedom. From my earliest youth up, I have been, from principle, a Democrat, and uniformly voted the Democratic ticket. ■ Many of you have been acquainted with me for the last nine years, and you will know I shrunk from no issue, pre- sented by the partv to which I belonged, but ever esteemed it no less a duty than a pleasure, to face the music, by whomsoever played, and advocate the principles of my party, as laid down by Jefferson and carried out in practice by Madison, Monroe and Jackson. But the great principles that were the guiding stars of those good men have been lost sight of, and ambitious and incompetent men are fast hurrying us on to destruction. Already the fires of civil discord are lighted up, and the children of the Republic are imbruing their hands in each others blood, a dark cloud has gathered and burst on our western frontier, a noble town has been sacked and pillaged, and defenseless women and children are now wandering houseless and homeless, on the banks of the Kansas. The government at Washington stretches forth no restraining hand, but her soldiers are compelled to be silent spectators, whilst the mob disarms the citizen and then butchers him. Such are a few of the reasons, dear reader, why I decline to act with what is termed the Democratic party at this time. But as I have said before, 1 have ever been a democrat and I cling with all the tenacity of life to the old landmarks of the bygone days. But names have lost all their terrors for me, and it matters not what I may be called, I shall be ever ready to act with that party that strikes for Freedom and the right. Through the columns of the Courier, I expect to enunciate my principles to the public, for which I alone will be responsible, and which I ask no one to adopt unless they agree with their own convictions of right and duty."

We copy the following item from this same issue in regard to the seminary:

"What has become of our Seminary? We hear no more about it. Was it all fuss and feathers, or are you waiting for a 'good ready?' We wo'd like to hear from somebody who knows, for it is a subject in which we are all interested. We understand that Messrs. Springer and Burt have offered to donate ten acres of ground north of town, than which no better or more beautiful location can be found in our vicinity. Friends, you cannot have too many schools, they cannot be too good, they will in the end pay you better than Congress lands or Corner lots in town. Come up to the work manfully then, you are abundantly able to give vour children a liberal education, and when you are dead and gone they will 'Rise up and call you Blessed.' "

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 337

Following are the Columbus City market quotations for June 5, 1856:

"Flour per 100 lbs $3.50 to $3.75

Wheat, spring per bushel 60 to 75

Wheat, winter 75 to $1.00

Corn, per bushel 18 to 20

Oats per bushel 18 to 20

Potatoes per bushel 50

Hams per lb 8 to 10

Sides per lb 7 to 9

Shoulders per lb 6 to 8

Butter per lb i^Vi

Eggs, per dozen 634"

This issue contains the advertisement of J. L. Paschal, attorney and counselor at law. located at Columbus City.

The fifth number of this paper was published June 12th. One interesting item in it states that X. W. Burris had recently sold to Messrs. Craig & Bentley. brokers of Mt. Pleasant, five hundred lots at Burris City at an average of $70 per lot, an aggregate of $35,000. It is stated that "Messrs. Craig and Bentley intend to put up a large business house and otherwise improve their property."

This paper also has the advertisement of I. H. Griffin, house and sign painter.

Number 6, published June 19th, referring to "Our Railroad," states that the piling across the Iowa river bottom was being put in and that the contractors were getting out timber for the trestle work and that it was likely there would soon be a railroad on both sides of the Iowa river whether there was a bridge or not. It was also stated that if stone could not be obtained with which to build the piers for the bridge, timber would be substituted and the work be carried forward with energy.

We find in this paper the advertisement of George Darrow, advertising the sale of about five hundred and fifty acres of timber and prairie land with a good steam sawmill and also two houses and lots in Columbus City. The advertise- ment concludes: "For further particulars inquire of William Darrow at the drug store, or of the undersigned at his sawmill twelve miles north of town."

John L. Merrill advertises the finding of a six-shooter on the road between Fredonia and Muscatine and states that the owner could have it by proving prop- erty and paying charges.

The publication committee beginning with the second issue was J. L. Grubb, W. M. Clark and G. D. Harrison. We have been unable to find any copies of this paper later than Xo. 6 and it may be that this was the last issue printed. The press and material of the Courier was afterward moved to Burris City.

Columbus City was incorporated as a town in 1871, but steps were taken looking to that end as early as June, 1857, as will appear by the following peti- tion found among the files of the county judge's office :

"To the County Court of Louisa County. Iowa :

"Your Petitioners, Citizens of the village of Columbus City in Louisa County, Iowa, desire to become incorporated as a town, including the limits of the original plat of said village with such additions as may hereafter be made to it and respect-

Vol. 1—22

338 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

fully ask you to submit the same to a vote of the citizens. Your petitioners would also represent that upon an enumeration of the citizens of said village there are six hundred permanent residents.

"Columbus City, Iowa, June 2, 1857.

"Petitioners Names: W. A. Colton, Joseph L. Paschal. James S. Murphy. W. M. Clark. Jas. E. Xisbet. Wm. W. Paschal. Wm. H. Shaw, Peter Merrill. Jr., Henry Hobin. A. Gamble, Jno. Gardner, J. F. Titus, D. P. Matthews, H. L. Den- ham, Wesley W. Garner, W. G. Allen, M. Barratt, Jno. C. Murphy, T. Z. Stark, T. W. Widdecombe, G. D. Harrison, W. S. Robertson, John D. Dugdale. John H. Titus, John Cleaves, George T. Burroughs, John Orr, Patrick Dennis, Enos Grovel John C. Bell, T. Stronach, W. P. Hartman. John B. Freed. Jacob Hilde- brand, G. A. Elsworth, Jesse Philips. M .M. Carson, John Hulick. E. W. Elsworth, Isaac N. Paschal, John R. Nelson, John Walt, John Deitrich. J. W. Nicholson, J. H. Mumper, H. Will. Wm. Arning, H. S. Denham, John C. Smith. Thos. Mat- thews. Thos. Anderson."

This petition was presented to the county judge on June 15, 1857, and it was ordered that the question of incorporation be submitted to the people of the village of Columbus City on Saturday. June 27, 1857. ami that Joseph Paschal, Tohn Orr and John Gardner be appointed judges and J. Fitch Titus and James E. Nesbit, clerks.

The county court record for Monday. July 6, 1857, shows that returns from this election had been received and that a majority of the votes cast were in favor of incorporation and the election was ordered to be held on Saturday. July 18. 1857, to choose three persons to prepare a charter for such village, and John Gardner, W. G. Allen and Joseph L. Paschal were made judges and J. Fitch Titus and Dr. W. M. Clark, clerks.

The returns of the election of July 18th show that Samuel Reiner, W. A. Col- ton and Andrew Gamble were elected to draft a charter for the incorporation of Columbus City. However, nothing further seems to have been done until 1871, at which time Andrew Gamble, I. Myler, Abram Fulton. George D. Harrison and H. P. May were appointed commissioners to call an election. The first officers elected were: Mayor, Abram Fulton: recorder. W. W. Garner: members of the council, H. P. May, G. L. Thomas. I. M. Smith. 1. Myler and David Morgan. The present officers of Columbus City are as follows: C. N. Johnston, mayor; J. W. Garner, clerk; Frank Colton, treasurer; F. M. Molsberry, S. J. Lewis. J. C. Richie, F. L. Snyder, W. T. Cutkomp, councilmen.

One of the noted organizations of Columbus City and one which did much to advertise the town for a time was the Union Guards, a military company or- ganized August 3, 1857. Colonel W. W. Garner was chiefly instrumental in the organization of this company and was its first captain. It was one of the best equipped and best drilled companies in Iowa. It gave exhibition drills at the state fair at Muscatine in 1858, at Washington at the celebration of the entry of the Mississippi & Missouri railroad; at Ottumwa in 1859, at the opening of the C. B. & Q. railroad, and at the state fair at Iowa City in i860, meeting other com- panies at the different places.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 339

Following is a roster of the officers and privates of this company which we take from a card said to have been printed and used in i860. There were quite a number of others who were members of the company before, and a few who were members after the time this card was made, whose names do not appear upon it. It is an interesting fact that thirty of the members of this company enlisted in the Union army and two in the Confederate army and that twenty of them became commissioned officers :

Captain, Wesley W. Garner ; first lieutenant. Dr. Wm. S. Robertson ; second lieutenant, Geo. W. Limbocker ; third lieutenant, John L. Grubb; first sergeant, John Walt; second sergeant, Hugh L. Denham ; third sergeant, Matthias Shirks; fourth sergeant, Philip Rasely; first corporal, Obed E. Denham; second corporal, J. M. Edwards; third corporal, T. W. Boice ; fourth corporal, Andr. E. Gibbons. Privates— Dr. M. O. Kulp, John Smith. John J. Wilie, Abraham Barringer, Wright Williams, James A. Fares, James R. Wilson. A. S. Limbocker, Franklin C. Manly, Jacob Luckey, James Manly, Leonidas Mitchel, Dr. B. G. Neal, James J. Billick, Charles Johnston, Taylor Jeffries, Wm. E. Limbocker, Wm. B. Gib- bons, John H. Acheson, O. P. Wallace, M. Y. Wallace, John Winkleman, Jere- miah Limbocker. John Albaugh. Jos. L. Paschal, Geo. D. Harrison, Andrew O. Easton, J. S. Limbocker, Albert Calhoun, J. Whitfield Garner, John P. Getts, Edwin S. Reiner, Samuel H. Manifold, Charles S. Phillips. Tohn F. Reiner, S. B. Getts.

Musicians — George Darrow, Dan'l Homer Darrow, Walter F. Hall, Wm. W. Paschal, Adam Stebling, Andrew Stebling, Milton Darrow, Alfred Compton.

Hugh L. Denham, secretary; John J. Wilie, treasurer; William O. Kulp, presi- dent.

When the company went to Ottumwa at the opening of the C. B. & Q. rail- road it met three companies from Burlington and one from Mt. Pleasant, and all were commanded by Major J. G. Lauman. afterward a noted general and the hero of Altoona.

The building of the Mississippi & Missouri railroad, (now the Rock Island), from Davenport and Muscatine to Washington was at first of considerable advan- tage to Columbus City, even though the road did not hit the town. The nearest stations were first, Sand Bank (now Columbus Junction) and then Clifton, but for many years Columbus City was considered the town of that vicinitv. Indeed, the railroad maps of that day show Columbus City as a station on the Mississippi & Missouri railroad.

Columbus City township at the time of the advent of the railroad and for some time after that was in many ways the leading township of the county. The census taken by the state in 1856 shows that Columbus City had more farmers, more laborers and more brick layers and more sawyers than any other township in the county, although Wapello township surpassed it in the number of black- smiths, carpenters and mechanics in a few other trades. In consequence of its growing importance Columbus City people became ambitious that it should be the county seat and on Monday, September 1, 1858, presented to the county court a petition signed by a majority of the local voters of the county asking that the question of a relocation of the county seat at Columbus City be submitted to the local voters of the county to be voted upon at the coming October election.

340 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Joseph L. Derbin was at that time county judge and he ordered an election on the county seat question to be held in accordance with the petition and issued a proclamation to that effect on September 13, 1858. At the same time the friends of Columbus City filed with the county judge the following bond :

"Know all men that we, James M. Robertson & Son, W. W. Garner, Harrison & Barrett, James G. Hall, Wm. M. Clark, Samuel Reiner, John Gardner, Jacob Wren, Alfred Limbocker, Hamilton Johnson, Benj. Stoddard, F. H. Johnson, I. Myler, Wm. A. Duncan, C. Johnson, M. Shaum, Peter Merrill, Jacob Getts, Peter Fullwiler. J. S. Douglas. W. G. Allen, John M. McConnell, John F. Reiner, Wyley & Farris, John Cleves and H. S. Denham, are held and firmly bound unto the county of Louisa in the State of Iowa, in the penal sum of Twenty Thousand Dollars, to the payment of which we bind ourselves, our heirs and our admin- istrators firmly by these presents. Dated this eleventh day of September, A. D., 1858.

"Whereas, the undersigned have signed a petition addressed to the county court of said Louisa county, asking the question of a relocation of the county seat of Louisa county aforesaid to Columbus City, be submitted to the voters of said county at the October election next, for their approval or rejection, and whereas, the said county has been to great expense in building a new court house at Wa- pello— the present county seat of the said county, and the people of Columbus City are willing to assume the whole cost and burden of constructing a Court House equal in all respects to that now built at Wapello, should the county seat be relocated at Columbus City.

"Now the condition of this bond is such that if a Court House, equal in di- mensions, workmanship and finish, and possessing all the requisite offices and rooms for county offices, court hall, and jury rooms, shall be erected at Columbus City, ( in the event of the people voting a re-location of the county seat at the election aforesaid, without cost, charge or burden to the county aforesaid,) and until said Court House is built, and ready for occupancy, will furnish the neces- sary county offices and court room free of all expense to the county aforesaid, and have a new Court House ready for occupancy or before the first day of April, A. D. 1861, and make a good and sufficient deed to said county of Louisa for the Court House square and the buildings thereon — then this bond to be void, otherwise in force.

J. M. Robertson & Son, Sam. Reiner, H. S. Denham, James G. Hall. W. AT. Clark, Alfred Limbocker, Peter Merrill, W. A. Duncan, Hamiilton Johnson, Jacob Wren, John F. Reiner, Cornelius Johnson, Italion Myler, Peter Full- wiler, Martin Shaum, Harbison & Barrett, Wylie & Far- ris, John Gardner, W. G. Allen, J. S. Douclass, John Cleves, Wesley W. Garner, Jacob Getts, J. N. McConnell, Benj. Stoddard, F. H. Johnston.

"I do hereby certify that the above is a true copy of a bond on file in the county Judge's office for the purpose therein specified. In testimony whereof I have set my name and affi'xed the seal of the county court of Louisa county at Wapello, the 13th day of September, 1858. (L. S.) , Jos. L. Derbin,

County Judge."

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 841

The county seat campaign which followed was a red hot one in every respect and little was left undone by either the friends of Columbus City or Wapello to insure a favorable result. Objection was made on the part of those who were opposed to a removal of the county seat that the bond given on the removal to Columbus City was void and could not be enforced by the county in case it be- came desirable to do so and they had the opinions of Governor James W. Grimes, Judge David Rorer and Judge T. W. Newman to support their objections.

On the other hand, the friends of Columbus City had the favorable opinion of Judge J. C. Hall, of Burlington, and of D. C. Cloud, of Muscatine, and per- haps others. The vote resulted in favor of Wapello by 105 majority, and the following is the vote by townships :

For Wapello For Columbus City

Columbus City 3 417

Concord 3 93

Eliot t,2 o

Elm Grove 2 91

Grandview 200 39

Jefferson 7$ 36

Marshall 67 52

Morning Sun 131 36

Oakland o Si

Port Louisa 123 1

Union o 75

Wapello 417 25

1. 05 1 946

Another paper published at Columbus City was the Enterprise published by James M. Edwards. No. 1, Vol. 1 is dated February 26, 1859. Mr. Edwards stated that he intended to publish a republican paper but that the politics of the paper would be a secondary matter. In asking for the support of the community, Mr. Edwards says: "In conclusion we will say that we intend to publish the Enterprise one year — if we live that long — if we do not add another subscriber to our list ; unless, indeed, we should make a fortune at the business in less time, in which case we will donate the office to the New York Museum and become a candidate for congress." However, we have only been able to find thirty num- bers of this paper printed, the last number being dated October 8, 1859, it being stated in that issue that owing to ill health the publication would have to be sus- pended. This was an exceptionally good newspaper for that day and contained many able editorial articles and occasionally, considerable local news.

In Number 2 of this paper, published March 5th, is the following item con- cerning Columbus City: "For the benefit of strangers we give an inventory of Columbus City. We have two dry-goods stores, two large drug stores, two groc- eries, one hardware and stove store, five shoemakers, three blacksmiths, two wagon makers, two cabinet makers, three tailors, seven physicians, two lawyers, two hotels, one printing office, five church organizations, an excellent school and 800 inhabitants. (The official report at that time gave but 622 inhabitants'). It

342 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

also contains more pretty women, saucy boys and handsome babies than any other town of its size in the state."

The Columbus City market as given for March 5, 1859, is as follows:

"Wheat, old, 80c to $1.00; wheat, new, 50c to 75c; corn, 35c to 40c; oats, 45c to 50c; flour, $2.75 to $3.00; meal, 50c; potatoes, 50c to 75c; beans, 60c to 75c; butter, i2l/2c to 15c ; eggs, 8c to 10c ; tallow, 10c to i2l/2c ; coffee, 16 2-3C to i8^c; sugar, ioc to I2r-jc; N. O. molasses, 60c to 75c; wood, per cord, $2.50 to $2.75; hay, per ton (Hungarian), $6.00; hay, per ton (Timothy). $5.00; hay, per ton (prairie), $3.00."

There was at this time keen rivalry between Columbus City and Wapello, and many flings were taken by the Enterprise at Columbus City and by the Wapello Intelligencer at Wapello. The Intelligencer sneered at the idea of Columbus City having 800 inhabitants and we think that it was justified in so doing by the figures of the census. We quote from the Enterprise of March 19th the following bit of sarcasm concerning Wapello. "Wapello is bound to become one of the most thriving and flourishing cities in the west. Her location on the Iowa river gives her an excellent water communication over New Orleans and all the other small towns on the Mississippi, and the great Air Line railroad will soon be com- pleted, which will place her in direct communication with New York and the cities of Europe, Asia and Africa. A company is also being formed to build a railroad to New Orleans by way of Burlington and St. Louis. We have also been informed by a citizen of Wapello that the Rothchilds intend transferring their business to that place and that they design opening a hotel on the European plan in a new building erected two years ago."

Another squib along the same line is the following: "We neglected last week to thank the Wapello Intelligencer for the handsome notice it gave our paper. We do it now, and would return the compliment if we could do so without lying."

In the same paper is the following local item : "A young man living near this place, caught one day last week a beautiful fish, weighing something over one hundred pounds. The manner in which it was done is given in another column." After searching the paper in vain for a supposed fish story, we came to the conclusion that the following notice in the marriage column was the fish story in question: "Married on the 10th inst. by the Rev. Mr. Crellen, Mr. J. S. Limbocker to Miss Amanda Fish, both of this place."

The year 1859 was noted for its hard times. The Wapello Intelligencer at that time had some of its issues nearly taken up with sheriff sales and trustee sales and similar advertisements, but it would be news to many to learn that Gov- ernor Lowe of Iowa issued a proclamation on the subject. We found the procla- mation published in the Enterprise of April 2d as follows:

"Whereas the past winter has been one of special trial and destitution to many of our people, on account of which we should humble ourselves before him who directs us in ways and to ends unseen by human wisdom, according to His own pleasure ; and whereas abstinence from food, accompanied with religious humilia- tion and the prayer of faith, in seasons of public distress, are recorded among the •duties of all Christian communities, I therefore, would respectfully recommend Friday the 22d day of April next, to be observed by all the people of this State as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, that thereby we may propitiate a kindlier Providence and be 'fed once more with the heritage of Jacob.'

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 343

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the great seal of the State of Iowa. Done at Desmoines, the 28th day of March, A. D. 1859, and of the Independence of the United States the 84th. and of this State the 13th.

Ralph P. Lowe. By the Governor. [L.L.] Elijah Sells,

Secretary of State."

In the Enterprise of April 9, 1859, we note that Rev. William Salter of Bur- lington was to preach at the Congregational church that evening, being Saturday, and on the next day, morning and evening, at the usual hours.

Another item gives an account of a meeting of the Temperance League on Thursday evening, after which Dr. Salter delivered a lecture.

We also find in the same paper an advertisement of the Congregational church, Rev. D. E. Jones, pastor.

The Enterprise of April 15, 1859, notes that J. W. Porter will commence his school on Monday next, that the new building of Harrison & Barratt was nearly completed, and that it was the largest business building in the county. The third story was then being fitted up for the use of the Masons.

The following from the Enterprise of April 23, 1859, explains itself: "We do not know of a county in this state that is worse off for postoffices and mail facilities than Louisa county. In some parts of the county the citizens have to send ten or twelve miles for their mail matter. A postoffice should be established at Clifton, one at Fredonia, one at some convenient point in Elm Grove township and one near Long creek on the Wapello road. These are all necessary to the convenience of the people and we shall do all in our power to secure them. A daily mail route between this place and Burlington is much needed and we hope to have it ere long."

This paper contains the advertisement of Charles Cutkomp, boot and shoe- maker; also William Darrow, physician and surgeon, with his office at Clark & Colton's store; William A. Colton, notary public and conveyancer; Wesley W. Garner, notary public and conveyancer. It also contains the advertisement of T. W. Boies, proprietor of a lumberyard at Clifton, also Douglas & Berry, gen- eral merchandise.

The Enterprise of April 30, 1859, gives the names of the Columbus City Pike's Peak expedition as follows : "William G. Allen, Jacob Getts, John Reiner, Will- iam Reiner, James Paschal, T. W. Brown, B. H. Eaton, L. Mitchell, wife and two children, Jonathan Pierson, David Knott, Peter Merrill, Joseph Neal, Samuel Luckey and Ed Suplee." The paper states that this company departed on Thurs- day last for Pike's Peak, with excellent teams and an abundance of provisions, for a six months' adventure and that a company of six or seven would leave Columbus City the first of the following week. Tt also states that one or two companies would go from Elm Grove about the 10th of June and that recently a company had left from Fredonia and also one from Grandview.

In the issue of this paper for May 26th is recorded the organization of a lodge of Good Templars, the officers being as follows: W. C. T., J. M. Edwards ; W. V. T., G. W. Limbocker; W. R. S., W. S. Robertson: W. T., W. O. Kulp;

344 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

W. I. G.. J. J. Wylie; W. O. G., James Manly; W. C, Dr. J. Cleaves; \V. F. S., William B. Berry; W. M., Dr. William Darrow.

The Enterprise of June g. 1859, records the return home of the Columbus City company of Pike Peakers. The Union Guards were called out, and accom- panied by the band and a large number of citizens, met them about a mile and a half west of town on the Washington road and saluted them with a volley of rifles of the Union Guards. After this Andrew Gamble on behalf of the citizens of Columbus City welcomed them back to their homes in a "neat and appropriate style." This speech was responded to "in a capital manner" by Lieutenant J. L. Grubb on behalf of the gold seekers. After this a song was sung by those who had been to see the "elephant,"' the song being entitled "Pike's Peak Humbug." It consists of sixteen verses, the last of which was as follows:

"The Columbus City boys are good grit, As sure as you are born : But they've been sold, without any gold. And now acknowledge the corn."

Two outfits of teams of those who started for Pike's Peak did not return but went on to the gold fields — all of them returning later with the exception of B. H. Eaton, who remained in Colorado and gained prominence and wealth — was at one time Governor of Colorado.

The same issue also chronicles the fact that Harrison & Barratt had moved into their new store room, where they had just opened the largest stock of goods ever brought to the county.

As an indication of the business being done at Clifton, the new railroad station north of Columbus City, we note an advertisement in this same issue of a new lumberyard owned by J. M. Campbell, managed by J. L. Collins, agent, with office in his grocery store.

The Enterprise of June 23d notes that William Darrow had opened a new grocery and provision store two doors south of Clark & Colton's drug store.

The Enterprise of July 7, 1859, gives an account of the 4th of July celebra- tion held on Long creek. The Union Guards were present in full uniform, pro- vided with thirty-three rounds of blank cartridges, and left Columbus City at half past six o'clock in the morning. The order of their assembling and march said that they would march to the German camp grounds on Long creek. It is •^aid that many people went from Columbus City and that Marshall, Elm Grove, Morning Sun, Concord and Wapello townships were well represented and that the number in attendance was two to three thousand. An oration was delivered by Mr. Stoughton, and an address by B. F. Wright.

It is said that the first school in Columbus City was held in the winter of 1843-4 and was taught by Dr. John Cleaves in a brick building, owned at the time by Colonel Garner. The school was taught the following winter by Colonel Garner himself. In the fall of 1846 the voters of school District Xo. 3, which included Columbus City and considerable territory outside of the town, met at the store room of H. S. Denham to permanently organize the district and to pass upon the question of erecting a school building. At this meeting a tax was voted and the directors were authorized to contract for the erection of a brick

KEY. DAVID KNOWLES

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 345

building, 20x30 feet. There were twenty-six votes cast, all but one of which were in the affirmative. In February, 1847, tne directors let the contract for the erection of a building on lot 3, block 5, for the sum of $300 and this building was completed ready for use by October of the same year, and that winter school was taught in this building by William J. R. Flack. The next year Allen W. Pease taught school during the winter term and was succeeded in turn during four winters by J. Highfield, Mr. Bigsby, I. N. Chandler, and Thomas L. Baird. Miss Sarah Twiggs taught school there in the summer of 1853, and James K. Atchison in the summer of 1854. In the summer of 1855 Miss Mary Wylie taught a term of school in the Christian church building and the next summer Miss Mary Wear of Mt. Pleasant taught school in the church building. In the winter of 1855-6 school was taught in the school building by Mr. Fulton. In the fall of 1856 the directors found that the school building was not suitable for the purpose and condemned it and rented the Christian church and also a part of H. S. Denham's store building. A new school building was erected by the school district in the fall of 1856 and the spring of 1857. A meeting had been held for this purpose in March, 1856, and a tax levied therefor. The contract was let to George D. Harrison, of Columbus City, and a man by the name of McCarter, of Springfield, Ohio, for the price of $2,985. The building was of brick, 30x50 feet and two stories high and erected directly north of the old building. This building was used until the summer of 1878, when an addition was built on the north side of it, 30x60 feet, two stories high, at a cost of $2,330.

The people of Columbus City have always been liberal in support of schools and have usually succeeded in having good schools.

Columbus City has always been noted as being well supplied with churches. One of the earliest church organizations perfected there was that of the Church of Christ, or Christian church, sometimes called Campbellites. It is said that the first meeting to organize this church was held at the house of Barstow Williams, about two miles from Columbus City, and that for a number of years the meet- ings were held at the houses of the various members. A house of worship was erected about 1852, said to have cost $500 and was used until 1868, when a $3,000 structure was erected. Among those who served as pastors in the church at Columbus City were : Arthur Miller, Smiley Bonham, Moses Warren, Joshua Swallow, Jonas Hartzel, Samuel Lowe, Joseph Lowe, Freeman Walden, J. K. Cornell, John Errett, Simpson Ely, J. H. Painter, L, B. Ames, J. Madison Will- iams, E. W. Miller and L. C. Wilson.

The Methodist Episcopal church of Columbus City dates its organization back to territorial days in 1840, and it is to be presumed that somewhere there is a record of the doings of this congregation and of the various ministers who served it and the dates of their service, but we have not happened to hit upon any one who could enlighten us on this matter. The Methodists erected a fine church building in 1866 and the church is still in a fairly flourishing condition.

Another Columbus City religious organization is that of the United Brethren in Christ, which was organized early in the '40s. The first annual conference of this church held west of the Mississippi river was held at the house of H. S. Denham in Columbus City, in May, 1844. This is the same building that was afterwards occupied by Italian Myler as a residence.

346 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

One of the strong organizations of Columbus City and vicinity is the United Presbyterian church, which was organized in the fall of 1844, the Rev. William Smith being the pastor. The first regular pastor was said to be Rev. George Vincent, who afterward became quite prominent in church work. Rev. Alexan- der Storey acted as pastor of this church for more than twenty years and the church was called, by many outsiders, "Storey's church."

The Baptist church of Columbus City was organized in November, 1850. In 1862 a brick building was erected. In 1871 the congregation divided, some of its membership organizing a separate congregation at Louisa Center.

The Congregational church of Columbus City was organized October 25, 1846. The first pastor was Rev. Aaron L. Leonard, born in Pennsylvania, in 1812. He served at Columbus City from 1847 until 1849, ancl 'ater was pastor at Danville for six or seven years. He died in New York state in the year 1900.

Rev. David Knowles was pastor at Columbus City from 1849 t0 J852. The next pastor there of whom we have any record, was E. O. Bennett, who served from 1856 to 1858. From 1858 to i860 the pastor was Darius E. Jones. Mr. Junes was a versatile man and became much noted in the church world and in musical circles. He was at one time a manufacturer of carriages and hardware. He was also chorister in several noted churches. Among them being Plymouth church in Brooklyn. For a time he was assistant secretary of the American Home Missionary Society. He was also for a while editor of the Congregational Herald and of the Western Weekly at Davenport. He was the Iowa agent of the Bible Society, and colonization agent of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Company. He was also pastor at a number of other places besides Columbus City, among them being Newton and Wilton. He is probably best remembered as the author of "Temple Melodies" and "Songs of New Life" and as the composer of "Stockwell" and "Martina." For many years during his active connection with the church and its work he was by common con- sent looked upon as the leader of song service at its association meetings, and it is said that "the presence of Darius E. Jones was always and everywhere the sig- nal for a sing." He died at Davenport. August 10, 1881.

Next after Mr. Jones came Robert Hunter, who served as pastor from i860 to 1867. We have but little account of Mr. Hunter other than that he was pastor at Clay and Nevinville in Iowa and that his entire service in the state covered the years from 1855 to 1872. at which latter date he died at Nevinville. Frederick Crang was the next pastor. He was an Englishman, educated in the Church of England, had been a surgeon in the British navy and had practiced medicine in New York and Illinois. His service at Columbus City extended over the years from 1867 to 1.869. The next and last pastor of this church was Rev. J. E. Elliott, who served in 1869 and 1870.

The Associate Presbyterian church built a house of worship in Columbus City in 1 85 1 and afterwards erected another building in 1886.

For many years the Masons had a lodge in Columbus City, which was or- ganized there on February 24, 1857, as Columbus City Lodge, No. 107. Sub- sequently this lodge was removed to Columbus Junction and its history will be given in connection with that place.

The Odd Fellows still maintain a lodge in Columbus City, it having been in- stituted there on August 23. 1872, under the charter name of Columbus City

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 347

Lodge, Xo. 246, I. O. O. F. Its charter members were David McMichael, L. G. Baldwin, G. W. Breneman, John Jacobs, T. R. Jones, David H. Griffith, Joseph M. Dotson, Edward McSweeney and W. F. Hall. Its first officers were: David McMichael, N. G. ; G. W. Breneman, V. G; W. F. Hall, Sec; L. G Baldwin, Treas. The total membership of this lodge up to the present time has been fifty- three. The names of the deceased members are: James W. Carr, David A. Robbins, Dr. I. M. Smith, Sherman Shaum, Henry Adv. George W. Speath, Otto Schabilion and George Schmidt.

The corporation of Columbus City joins Columbus Junction at the Gamble corner, and the two are connected by a good cement sidewalk.

In later years Columbus City had two other newspapers; one was the Non- pareil, published by Allan D. Hickok, and the other was the Safeguard, started at Columbus City by Robert H. Moore, but later removed by him to Columbus Junction.

The population of Columbus City has been as follows: 1854 — 149; 185c; — 622; 1870—850; 1880—605; 1885—519; 1890—459; 1895—485; 1900—388; J905— 423-

WAPELLO.

Wapello is named after the noted Indian chief, and it appears that there was considerable controversy in the beginning as to where the main town would be located, as we find reference in the early records to Upper Wapello, Center Wapello and Lower Wapello. Upper Wapello undoubtedly corresponds very closely to what is now England's Addition. Central Wapello was the same as the original town, and Lower Wapello was undoubtedly the first laid out town, and was laid out by Jeremiah Smith, Jr. of Des Moines county, and some others whose names we have not been able to get. We have already seen that in negotiat- ing the surrender by the Indians of the Keokuk reserve, the white men had been locating claims upon the reserve, and buying Indian claims before the treaty was made, and it was said that one white man had paid another one $2,000 for a claim on which to build a "great town." This was undoubtedly Wapello and must have been Lower Wapello.

The following instrument made by Jeremiah Smith, Jr., to James McDaniel throws some light on the matter. We quote a part of it : "Know all men by these presents that I, Jeremiah Smith, Jr., of Des Moines county, I. T., for and in consideration of the sum of $300, to me paid by James McDaniel, of Louisa county, I. T. . . . have sold unto the said James McDaniel all of my inter- est included in the original town plat of Lower Wapello, Louisa county, Iowa Territory, situated on lots 1 and 2 of the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 35, township 74 north, range 3 west, as laid off by me and others in the year 1836 and 7, and as by reference to such plat at the land office will appear." This instrument was dated August 27, 1844.

It appears from the records that Jeremiah Smith was the original purchaser from the government of lots 1 and 2, referred to in the deed, having entered them February 11, 1843, ar>d secured a patent for them in 1846. One of the "others" referred to in the deed as having laid out Lower Wapello was probably David R. Chance, one of the representatives from Demoine county, in the first territorial legislature of Wisconsin. Our authority for this statement is found in Dr. Salter's

848 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

"Iowa,'" page 214. where he gives some remarks made by Mr. Chance upon the question of locating the seat of government of the new territory of Wisconsin.

Charges of bargaining and corruption had been made against the delegation from Demoine county and among other things, Mr. Chance said: "Mr. Chairman, we are honest men from Demoine ; we are not here to be bought or sold. When I left home my intention was to locate the seat of government in the east of the Mississippi, dividing the territory with the river. If they did not wish to divide, I meant to sustain the place selected by the executive, Belmont. We said to the delegation on the east, fix your place and we go for it. I have no town property in the territory of Wisconsin, only some marked out in the town of Wapello." We have not the date when this speech was made but we know that this legislative assembly began its sessions October 25, 1836, and ended them on December 9th. The location of Lower Wapello is thus settled to have been upon what has long been known as the J. R. McDaniel farm, immediately east of the W. C. Herrick farm. The land is now owned by Clarence Askren.

When the commissioners authorized by the first legislative assembly of Wis- consin to establish a territorial road west of the Mississippi performed that work, they located the road through Wapello as the law required. Their original plat and field notes of that part of the road through Louisa county has been preserved, and one point on the line is the center of the public square of Lower Wapello. According to the field notes of this survey this point must have been situated upon the land referred to in the deed from Jeremiah Smith, Jr., to James .McDaniel.

As stated elsewhere, a plat of "Wappelow" was recorded in this county on January 17. 1837, this being probably the first official act transacted here. We have no means of knowing whether this is the same plat referred to in Jeremiah Smith's deed, but we know it does not correspond to the plat of the original town of Wapello as afterward laid out. This plat does not give the location of the town nor the names of the proprietors, and hence it is only a matter of guess work as to whether or not it was the plat intended for Lower Wapello.

It seems that in the course of a couple of years Center Wapello became the town. The seat of justice was located at Wapello by a vote of the people, and the county commissioners, William Milligan, Israel L. Clark and Wright Williams, purchased of the government the greater part of the southeast quarter of section 27, town- ship 74 north, range 3 west, for a seat of justice of Louisa county, under the pro- visions of the act of congress, approved May 26, 1824. It has been the general impression that this land was given to the county for the purpose of locating a county seat upon it, but that is not correct, it cost the county one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre.

The town was laid out by John Gilliland, county surveyor, and the plat is cer- tified by him May 6, 183c). This is now called the original town of Wapello. The lots were 74 )/\ feet in width by 148;/? feet long, and as the town was located on the west bank of the river, the streets were made to run parallel with the course of the river as it ran then, and hence they are not north and south.

Some of the original town of Wapello and of England's Addition immediately to the north, has been taken away by the river.

The next part of the present town to be laid out was England's Addition. It appears from the record that this was formerly known as Upper Wapello and that it was re-surveyed by John Gilliland, April 13, 1840, and it is said to be located on

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY :!49

the south end of the southeast fractional quarter of section 27, but this is a mis- take, as the addition is located in the northeast fractional quarter of 2j. It was laid out by Thomas England, one of the early settlers of Wapello, who came here in 1835. Another of the early settlers in Wapello, in fact, probably the first man to build a dwelling house in the town, was William Milligan, and the next addi- tion we find to the town is called Bird's Addition, laid out by John Bird, as administrator of the estate of William Milligan. This was laid out in August,

1851.

Next we have Townsend's Addition, laid out by Samuel Townsend in January, 1856. The next is Charles' Addition, laid out by R. F. Charles, April 1, 1856; Keach Addition, laid out by Elias Keach and Edward B. Isett, March 19, 1856; Herrick's Adidtion, laid out by John M. Herrick in June, 1856, but which has since been vacated ; and Bells' Addition, laid out by John Bell, August 25, 1856. The next is Howey's Addition, laid out by Harris Howey and Elias Keach, in April, 1857; Miller & Erbes Addition, laid out by Jonas Miller and George Erbes, June 3, 1890; Miller's Addition, laid out by Jonas Miller, September 13, 1892, Gar- den Park Addition, laid out by Jonas Miller, William G. Allen. F. M. Ong and George R. Keller, May 22, 1894; Bird's Park Addition, laid out by Rebecca Bird, widow of John Bird, and Lillian E. Richards, Talma L. McCosh and Curtis D. Bird, April 1, 1898; and last we have the second Bird's Park Addition, laid out by the same parties in February, 1901.

We find frequent reference in the records to sales of town lots in Wapello soon after the original town was laid out, but we have not been able to find the report of the first town lot sale, showing the names of the purchasers and the prices paid. James M. Clark was for some time the commissioner for the sale of these lots, and appears to have made frequent reports of his doings, but unfor- tunately, these reports were not copied on the records of the commissioners' court.

August 20, 1839, Mr. Clark submitted a report in regard to the sale of town lots in Wapello, the substance of which is given in the record as follows : "Amount of property bid off at the sale. $9,0x37.50, and of this amount $5,856.25 had been taken by the sheriff and one-eighth of this latter amount paid in hand. To this add $60.25, amount of lot purchased by H. Warnstaff, who has been exonerated from the payment of one-eighth by giving his note for the whole amount ; he had paid $4, which is credited on his note. Also add $136, amount of two lots sold said commissioner which sums added together make $6,052.52, being the total amount taken.

"The cash account appears to be one-eighth of $5,856.25, being $732.25 less $200 already paid to Esq. Milligan to purchase the county quarter section, and $15 paid to Thomas for crying the sale, and $1.50 for paper, leaving $515.75, and some other small cash items or receipts make the balance $524.25. But it appears of the $732.25 paid in advance, $389.68 was paid in county orders, $342.57 was paid in cash, and that there was only left in the hands of the treasurer in cash, $126.07. ^r- Clark received for his services $45."

Among the old papers there is a list of notes given for county property sold on the 17th and 18th of June, 1839. in the handwriting of James M. Clark. These notes were due in December, 1839, and it is possible that it is a complete list of the purchasers at the first lot sale, although the paper does not so state. From

350 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

this list we take the names of the following purchasers: J. Bevins bought six lots, prices running from $10 to $59.79. his total bill being $188.70. Daniel Brewer bought five lots, the highest priced being $26.54. The note of Fullenwider & Wood was for $518.25, but the number of lots is not stated. Other purchasers were W. M. Clark. J. H. Clark, M. Harless, William Harrison, J. Lewis, C. Mor- gan, Mintun & Thomas. R. B. Packard. Levi Steven, Hiram Smith, W. H. Thomas, doubtless intended for William H. R. Thomas, Z. Williams, Nelson Allo- way. John Bragg and V. P. Bunnell.

Many of the notes taken by Mr. Clark were afterwards collected and other lots were sold later, and it is evident that the sale of these lots furnished the young county with considerable revenue.

Of course there has been a great diversity of opinion as to who were the first tavern keepers and store keepers in Wapello. The best we can do in a matter of this kind at this late date, is to set forth what the records show, because in those days store keepers, tavern keepers, etc. had permits and paid license fees.

It is said by some who ought to know, that Milligan did not keep a regular Tavern, but simply entertained folks occasionally. We do not know at this late date what the fact is, but the records show that he procured a license for one year commencing April 1st, 1837.

In August, 1837 S. S. Gourley was granted a tavern license for the term of six months, and his place is supposed by many to have been the first regular tavern in Wapello. It was about where Mrs. Weston now lives.

Mr. Gourley was elected county assessor in 1838, but died in the winter fol- lowing.

In 1838 John Drake built the Drake House on the property so long occupied by the late Mrs. Hicklin. The earliest mention we find of Mr. Drake's tavern is in 1839. Three or four years later he moved into a more pretentious hotel on Front street; this faced the river and was almost directly back of the W. C. Wil- liamson present home.

In those days the official name for the saloon was the "grocery," and the first license of the kind in Wapello was issued to Nelson Derthick in August, 1837. At that time Derthick or Dethrick as he was sometimes called, had a ferry license for Central Wapello, and his grocery was likely in the same part of town.

In November, 1837, C. M. McDaniel procured a grocery license, which was also for Central Wapello. Shortly after that, James McDaniel had a grocer's license, and in 1840 we find that a similar license was issued to John Drake. A little later George Helbig had a grocer's license in Wapello.

These grocer's licenses were issued of course, long before the days of prohi- bition and at a time when the sale of liquor was not merely lawful but when the habit of drinking was quite general in the community ; with the advent of prohi- bition, this is all supposed to have changed, but it is probable that from the day when Nelson Derthick first got his grocer's license, down to the present, there has never been a time when "Central Wapello" did not afford at least one place where "wet groceries" could be obtained by all who knew the ropes and had the price. In April 1838, John Bevins was granted a license to vend merchandise at Upper Wapello, and in May following, S. M. Kirkpatrick was granted a similar license, as were also "James M. Clark and Sanders," so it is reasonable to assume that these were the first store keepers in Wapello. Almon Moore sold goods

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 351

here as early as 1839, and George W. McCleary was also an early merchant and "grocer."

On January 18th, 1838, the Wisconsin legislature established the county seat at Lower Wapello, and in January, 1839, the territorial legislature of Iowa di- rected that an election be held to name a county seat. This matter of county seat was the cause of much contention between the different parts of Wapello, or the different towns, as they were then called. On this subject, William L. Toole, speaking of Wapello, says : "It had its troubles, trials and difficulties in its early days, having then three divisions claiming the ascendency, viz : Upper, Lower and Middle Wapello, the proprietors of each division striving for the county build- ings : Mr. Rinearson, Mr. Gilliland, Mr. Isett, Mr. Mintun and Mr. Ives among the contending parties.

"Middle Wapello was finally successful, and the county commissioners de- cided upon having the court house there. The three towns finally united into one. It had its troubles also regarding the ferry, which was first at Lower, and then at Upper, but finally permanently established at Middle Wapello."

The county commissioners ordered an election on the county seat question for the first Monday in March, 1839. Under the law these returns were to be can- vassed by the sheriff. The opposing candidates were Wapello, Harrison and Fre- donia, but Wapello seems to have received a majority of all the votes as shown by the canvass of election made by Sheriff McDaniel, which is copied in the com- missioners' court record as follows : "In pursuance of an act of the legislative assembly of trie territory of Iowa, providing for electing a seat of justice for the above named county on the 4th of March, 1839. The complete returns of said election having been made to the undersigned, the acting sheriff of the aforesaid county as provided by law, I did on the 14th day of March, in the presence of William Milligan and Hiram Smith, two acting justices of the peace in and for said county, open and canvass the aforesaid returns and it appearing that Wa- pello had a majority over all the other candidates (viz. Harrison and Fredonia) of fifty-six votes therefore I, C. M. McDaniel, Sheriff as aforesaid, do certify that Wapello was duly elected county seat for said county, etc."

As stated elsewhere, the first court house was built of cottonwood logs or poles. This was situated in Lower Wapello, but was doubtless owned by private individuals, as we find no record tending to show that the county owned it, or owned the lots upon which it was situated. A little incident recorded in the com- missioners' court records will give some idea of the bitter feeling that existed at that time in regard to the location of the county seat. On the 4th of April, after the returns of the election for the county seat had been made by the sheriff, the board of commissioners decided to take steps to procure from the government the southeast fractional quarter of section 27, which, as we have already seen, was Middle or Center Wapello, and they declared that that particular piece of land was selected by them for a seat of justice. When on April 24, 1839, the board of commissioners desired to hold an extra session, it appears that they met at the court house at Lower Wapello, "and no access being had to either room, it adjourned to the house of the clerk of the board."

In 1839 Samuel M. Kirkpatrick & Company were granted license to sell goods in Wapello for twelve months, for $14. James Wilson Isett was granted license to sell goods at his residence for the same period for $15. At the same time the

352 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

board had fixed the first Monday in May to receive proposals for building a court house and jail. The proposals were to be in writing and under seal and the con- tractors were required to give a bond. The court house was to be of brick, 40x22 feet, and one story high. The plans of the court house did not provide for a chimney, but the commissioners rectified this when their attention was called to it by a petition of the lawyers and county officers.

The jail was to be eighteen feet square on the outside, with double walls of hewn timber a foot square. The lower floor also to be double and the timber the same length as the walls of the building. "The outside of the inner tier of the wall logs to be drove full of iron spikes, not more than two inches apart, and the under side of the upper tier of floor logs to be spiked in like manner. The floor logs to be laid on two large sills, and the ends of the floor legs to be notched so as to prevent them sliding. The criminals' room to have one grate window, with strong iron bars."

On May 20th the commissioners met at the house of John Gilliland and ac- cepted the bid of S. M. Kirkpatrick & Company, and on the next day contracts were executed, from which it appears that the court house was to be built for $1,300 and the jail for $1,000.

The June term of court that year was held in John Bevins' house, probably because the old court house in Lower Wapello could not be procured. During this same year grocer's license was granted Charles C. Morgan and William Mur- ray, and a merchant's license to Cicero M. Ives.

Kirkpatrick & Company, the company being Nathaniel J. and Cicero M. Ives, completed the building of the brick courthouse, June 1, 1840, at which time it was accepted by the commissioners and the contractors were released from all ob- ligations in regard to its construction. It seems that the county did not have the money to pay for the building, and gave an obligation to N. J. and C. M. Ives to pay twenty per cent interest on the amount due for erecting the court house, be- ing $1,300.

At the same time, and probably for lack of funds, the county and the con- tractors agreed to cancel their contract in regard to building a jail. The ol 1 court- house building, a picture of which we present herewith, is now owned by Mrs. Blanchard, widow of James Blanchard, one of the early settlers of the county.

It may also be of interest to know that the plans for this building were made by another early settler, John Rinearson, and cost the county the sum of $5.

According to Mr. Toole, Wapello also had its troubles regarding the location of the ferry. He says: "It was first located at Lower Wapello, then at Upper Wapello, but finally permanently established at Middle Wapello." Quite a num- ber of ferry licenses were granted by the district court at its first term of court in Wapello, in April, 1837. The authority for the district court to grant these ferry licenses was based upon the act of the territorial legislature of Wisconsin, approved December 8, 1836. providing that the existing laws of Michigan, which were declared in force by the organic act of Wisconsin, shall be construed lib- erally for the purpose of giving such laws full force and effect, and that when- ever powers are conferred upon the supreme court or its judges, or upon county courts or their judges, the same shall be executed and performed by the district courts and the judges thereof.

PUBLIC SCHOOL GROUNDS. WAPELLO

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 353

Under an act by the governor and judges of Michigan Territory, passed Sep- tember 10, 1819, it was provided that the county court should grant licenses for keeping ferries, and that these licenses should continue in force for one year. The first ferry license granted for Wapello by the district court was to William Milligan, and this was undoubtedly- at Upper Wapello. This was on April 20,

1837-

On the next day Nelson Derthick procured a license from the court to keep a ferry across the Iowa river "at the Central Wapello town."

The next ferry license of which we have any record is the one granted to "William Milligan by the county commissioners on April 3, 1838. On April 16th this license was withdrawn and a license was granted to Daniel Brewer and Wil- liam Milligan together, and on the same day license was granted to Nelson Der- thick for a ferry at Center Wapello.

In a biographical and historical work published by the Acme Publishing Com- pany in 1889, we find the following: "The postoffice at Wapello was established in the winter of 1838-9. John Bevins, the first hotel keeper in the town, was postmaster. Bevins' 'tavern' was situated on the north side of Mechanic street near the river. He sold his place to Jacob Mintun a year later, and Mr. Mintun succeeded to the postoffice. In the fall of 1844 George W. McCleary, a pioneer merchant, who was afterward secretary of state and member of congress, suc- ceeded to the office. Following him was L. P. Wells, who was then publishing the Wapello Intelligencer; William Keach, the first republican postmaster, suc- ceeded Mr. Wells in 1861, but on his enlistment in the late war, he left the office in care of his deputy, Mr. Wells."

It would be difficult, indeed, to get more misinformation in the same space than is contained in the foregoing paragraph. In the first place, the Wapello postoffice was established August 15, 1837. John Bevins was not only not the first postmaster, but he was never postmaster at all. We have already seen that William Milligan got the first tavern license in 1837 and that the first license is- sued to John Bevins was in April, 1838, to sell merchandise. A little later in the history of Wapello, Jackson Bevins kept a tavern and at that time we think no license was required and it may be that he sold his place to Jacob Mintun. We have procured from the postmaster general's office a list of the postmasters of Wapello with the dates of their appointment up to and including the time of the appointment of George F. Thomas, and this is as follows : Christopher A. Bal- lard, appointed August 15, i837;Tadoka (Zadok) C. Inghram. October 26, 1838; George W. McCleary, December 29, 1840; John C. McCleary, November 29, 1843; George W. McCleary, January 20, 1845; Jonn Bird, May 16, 1845; Jacob Min- tun, February 10, 1846; John A. Pilger, February 7, 1848; Samuel M. Kirk- patrick, April 9, 1849; Samuel Townsend, April 10, 1850; Mark Davison, Feb- ruary 4, 1852; James Noffinger (Noffsinger), January 7, 1853; Lauren Wells, August 27, 1855 ; William Keach, April 3, 1861 ; George F. Thomas, July 16, 1863. The postmasters since that time in order of their service have been M. L. Jamison, John M. Herrick, James S. Hurley, Mattie G. Hurley, Rodney G. Haw- kins. Ed. Hicklin and J. D. Hicklin.

It is said that the early history of the schools in Wapello begins in the sum- mer of 1840 and that John Gilliland, then county surveyor, held a private school in his log house on Main street, in the north part of town.

Vol. 1—23

354 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

In the commissioners' court record for June 22, 1840, is an order authorizing Sheriff McDaniel to rent the court house to the citizens of Wapello and vicinity to be used as a schoolhouse for a term of three months for the sum of $10 for said term, to be paid by the subscribers to the school, the board reserving the use of the house when necessary for county purposes. We find nothing to show certainly whether the court house was used for school purposes during 1840, but it was so used a few years afterward by Lewis Kinsey. The first schoolhouse in Wapello was built about 1844 and was used for school until about 1853. In 1853 a brick building was constructed and this building is now a part of the Com- mercial Hotel. In 1878 the present school building was erected, but it is doubt- ful if any one knows how much it cost. The school board had more confidence in the contractor than he deserved, and it is understood that he got considerable money to which he was not entitled, and that the board had to pay out a few thou- sand dollars to get work done, for which they had already paid the contractor. At this writing a new school building is planned, which will cost when completed and equipped, about $19,000. This building is to be erected on the property pur- chased a few years ago from Hon. D. N. Sprague. Provision has also been made for the building of an outside heating plant that will heat both the old building and the new one, and when these improvements are completed Wapello will have excellent school facilities.

In the summer of 1853 and in the winter of 1853 and 1854, Wapello had two excellent school teachers in Rev. Wilson R. Woodruff and Professor A. M. East- man. Professor Eastman conducted what was called the Wapello Academy, and Rev. Woodruff was in charge of the District school. The Wapello Intelligencer of Feb. 13, 1854, commends these as being two of as good schools as could be found. Sometime before this, T. P. Brown, we think of Morning Sun, had charge of the Wapello academy. This was probably as early as 1851.

J. B. Brigham, who was also a lawyer and newspaper man. had charge of the Wapello schools in 1859. The same year Mrs. P. P. Wells had a private school at home.

Shortly before he became County Superintendent, Hon. L. A. Reiley taught school in Wapello.

In 1871, Charles Horace Greeley Frye was principal of the Wapello schools. Mr. Frye was afterwards County Superintendent, and afterwards obtained con- siderable notoriety in one of the Dakota-. Miss Addie Pell, afterward married to John Jenkins, taught in the Wapello schools for many years, and was both popular and competent.

About 1846 many of the citizens of the county were of the opinion that it needed a better court house, and also a jail. Accordingly, petitions were cir- culated and numerously signed, asking the commissioners to take measures to sell the large number of town lots in Wapello still belonging to the county, and use the proceeds for the erection of a good court house. Soon after this petition began to be circulated a remonstrance was gotten up and numerously signed, informing the county commissioners that an expenditure for a court house would receive the "decided disapprobation" of the majority of the citizen- of the county. This remonstrance seems to have had some effect, for it was not until January, 1850. that the commissioners ordered the question of court house or no court

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 355

house, to be submitted to the people at the April election of that year ; by that time the disapprobationists were in the minority.

On May 12, 1851, a number of bids were filed for building the new court house according to the specifications which had been prepared by B. H. Druse and John Mann. George Jennison, and D. W. Herrick made a bid on the stone work; their bid was $700. B. H. Druse put in a bid of $6,000 "for material, carpenter and joiner work, painting and finishing in accordance with draft and specifications." P. G. Woodworth put in a bid for the entire brick work and plastering for $2,900, which he agreed to "complete in good workmanlike style."

The bid of E. B. I sett does not seem to be among the papers but he got the contract at $8,000. The building was to be enclosed and covered by December 1, 1851, and completed suitable to hold court in by September, 1852.

It was also agreed that the court house should be erected on the public square "so that a line running to the north and south through the center of said square shall pass through the center of said court house, which shall front on the south, and the rear of which court house shall be bounded by a line running east and west through the center of the public square."

On July 6, 1852, after Wright Williams became county judge, a petition was presented to him, praying that the court house should front on Main street in- stead of Washington street, and he agreed to have it so done provided the con- tractor would not demand extra pay for it. There was considerable delay on the part of Mr. Isett in finishing the building but it was completed about 1854. Mr. Isett made claims for extra work done, not included in the contract and for interest paid by him on sums which he should have received from the county. His bill for these extras was not presented until after Francis Springer became county judge. It seems that the county judge objected to some things about the work and insisted on certain reductions on those parts not completed according to contract, and the matter was submitted by agreement to Samuel Townsend and B. F. Druse and they made reductions on some twelve different items, amounting to $733.17. Mr. Isett's bill before these reductions were made, was $10,025.84. The matter was finally settled after allowing Mr. Isett $210 for interest, and providing for the completion of several parts of the work which had been left unfinished, and the total cost to the county of the court house as finished, was $9,577.69.

The first effort to incorporate Wapello as a city was in March, 1852, when B. F. Wright presented a petition to the county judge, stating that it had become apparent to the signers who were citizens of Wapello that it would be expedient to have such town incorporated, and praying that a vote be taken upon that ques- tion. The petition was signed by E. B. Tripp and forty others and the record states that the county judge, being satisfied that the petition was signed by at least one-fourth of the legal voters of the village, and that the town or village had at least three hundred inhabitants, an election was ordered to be held on the first Monday in April, 1852. The result of this election is indicated by the fol- lowing memorandum on the county judge's record : "Wright Williams do hereby certify that an election held in the town of Wapello on the fifth day of April, 1852, the majority of the votes cast for and against incorporation were against incorporation. Therefore no further proceedings will be had thereon."

356 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

On July ii, 1854, B. F. AY right again presented a petition, this time with forty-eight signers, asking for an election upon the question of incorporation, and it was ordered that the question be submitted at the time of the general election on the first Monday in August.

Under date of August 18, 1854, the county judge made a record entry, show- ing that the election returns on said incorporation in the village of Wapello show that a majority of the votes cast at the election were in favor of incorpora- tion, and it was ordered that an election be held in the court house in Wapello on Monday, September 18, 1854. to give the legal voters an opportunity of choos- ing five persons to prepare articles of incorporation for said town. Myron P. Vanloon, J. K. Milligan and John R. Sisson were appointed judges, and Thomas G. Taylor and James S. Hurley were appointed clerks.

Xo further proceedings seem to have been taken under this order; at least we find no record of it.

The next movement toward incorporation was on January 7, 185b, when L. P. Wells presented a petition of one-fourth the legal voters of the village of Wapello and England's Addition thereto, praying that an election be held for the purpose of incorporating said village, and it was ordered that an election be held on Saturday, January 19th, and that Levi Fisher. Leonard Robinson and John Corson be the judges, and Harrison Robinson and James S. Hurley be the clerks. Accordingly, the election was held on January 19th, the result being forty-six votes for incorporation and one against. Of the forty-seven voters at that election we believe there are but two still living and they are still residents of Wapello — John L. Sweeney and F. M. Ong. Among those who voted, we note the following well known to all who are familiar with the Wapello of that day : A. M. Taylor, Lewis Kinsey, James Semple, Charles Vanloon, C. F. Morris, R. E. Archibald, D. N. Sprague, Dr. T. G. Taylor, Dr. H. T. Cleaver, J. S. Hurley, I'.. H. Druse and James H. Hicklin.

It seems that the next step toward incorporation was to elect a committee of five to draft articles of incorporation and an election was held for this purpose on February 4. 1856, at which Lewis Kinsey, Thomas Stoddard. D. N. Sprague, II. T. Cleaver and John Corson were elected for that purpose.

Then there had to be another election to decide upon the adoption of the articles drafted by the committee, or commissioners, as thev are called in some of the proceedings. The result was favorable to their adoption, twenty-eight votes being cast for and none against.

The first election of officers of the incorporated town of Wapello was held on the 8th day of March, 1856. One hundred and thirteen persons voted at this election. The vote on mayor was : John Corson, 75 ; Joel C. Parsons, 37 ; for recorder, Lewis Kinsey, 74, Philander Jenkins, 38; for marshal. James Semple. 70, J. W. Duggan, 40. The successful candidates for members of the council were H. T. Cleaver, D. C. Jackson, Leonard Robinson, Thomas Stoddard and L. P. Wells. Their opponents were Thomas Stewart. J. C. Stoughton, Obadiah Garrison, William Keach and Levi Fisher.

The people of Wapello intended to have a city and not merely an incorporated town, and therefore they applied to the legislature for a special act of incorpora- tion and this was granted, and the act approved on July 15, 1856. Wapello still retains her special charter there being but four other cities in the state now acting

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 357

under special charters. This charter fixed the limits of the city and divided it into three wards and provided for the election of a mayor, six councilmcn, a recorder, an assessor, a treasurer and a marshal, and the first election under the new charter was to be held on the first Monday of September, 1856, and annually thereafter. This charter was amended by the act of January 21, 1857. For a number of years the elections for officers have been held biennially, this change having been made necessary by a general provision of law applying to all the cities of the state.

The first newspaper printed in Louisa county was the Louisa County Times, published at Wapello, beginning November 27, 1850, by D. Sheward and J. Noff- singer. Air. Sheward did not remain connected with the paper very long but Mr. Noffsinger continued to publish the Times for about three years, when he changed the name of the paper to the Wapello Intelligencer. The Intelligencer had so many editors and proprietors that it would be a difficult matter to keep track of them, even if we had complete files of the paper. Mr. Noffsinger seems to have sold out to A. Hodge, September 2~, 1853, but on January 24, 1854, Mr. Noff- singer again resumed control. In the fall of the same year he sold it to J. S. and W. H. Milligan, who ran it until January, 1855, when W. H. and H. N. Milligan became proprietors but in March of that year another change was made, when J. E. Harroun and L. P. Wells assumed control, and the latter was editor for the greater part of 1856. Wells, Miller & Company were the proprietors in February, 1857, and Hodge & Barr in April, 1857. Up to this time the paper had been non-partisan, but on October 18, 1857, Mr. Hodge took charge and an- nounced that thereafter it would be a strictly democratic paper.

In 1858-9 at different times it was edited or owned by J. B. Brigham; Thomas S. Bell : William Reach ; Kelly, Ives & Mintun ; John Jenkins & Company ; Jen- kins & Barr and perhaps others.

The Wapello Republican was established by J. M. Edwards in 1859, and soon after this the Intelligencer went out of business, leaving the field to the Republi- can. The Republican had a variety of owners and editors prior to 1867, among whom were James D. Barr and S. E. Jones.

In 1867 it was purchased by L. W. Myers, who continued to publish it for a great many years. He sold to J. B. Wilson, who sold to Geo. E. E. Townsend ; then C. M. Wright owned it awhile, and sold to R. G. Hawkins, the present owner. In 1870 James D. Barr established the Louisa County Record and con- tinued to run it for several years. Julius Taylor, also edited the "Union Demo- crat" for a short period. L. P. Wells and Beard Brothers published the Louisa County Times, and later Hon. Clint. L. Price published the "Democrat." The Wapello Tribune, now owned by J. A. Bigger, was established by J. B. Wilson, he sold to R. L. Reiley, who sold to Mr. Bigger.

We have compiled a number of items of interest from the files of the early papers published in Wapello. This was a difficult compilation to make. It was hard to tell what to put in, and what to leave out. When the Times was first published, its office was on Front street, hvo doors south of E. B. Isett's store. Local advertisers in the first issue were E. B. Tripp, proprietor of the Wapello drug store ; E. G. Jones and Jacob Pilger. general merchandise. Mr. Pilger ad- vertised to sell his goods for "cash, wheat or pork." From Mr. Jones' ad. it seems that he was also conducting a store at Columbus City at that time. The

358 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

lawyers having cars in this paper were J. Xoffsinger, John Bird and E. H. Thomas. The doctors were H. T. Cleaver and J. Bell, Jr.

During December, 1850. we note the following advertisements: C. F. Morris, tailor; F. Mohns, saddler; John Carpenter, proprietor of the Ohio House, corner Jackson and Water streets ; George Helbig, proprietor of the lone House.

The Times of December 31, 1850, says: "New and most favorable indications of coal were discovered within six miles of Wapello about a week ago."

In February, 1852, E. & W. Keach advertised the Union Hotel, being the building formerly occupied by Jacob Mintun. A. M. Taylor advertises to do wool carding in Wapello.

In May of this year appears the card of B. F. Wright, attorney at law. in which he states that he had recently come from Indianapolis. M. & J. Davison adver- tise their store this year.

On December 2-, 1852, the Times shouts "victory" over the fact that Semple & Company's flour mill had begun to grind. It considers this the beginning of great prosperity for Wapello.

In the Times of February 24. 1852. is the entire directory of Wapello's busi- ness men advertising in its columns:

.Merchants — E. B. Isett, E. Keach, M. Davison, J. I'ilger.

Druggists— E. B. Tripp. E. B. Isett.

Tailors— Merkle & Mitchman, C. F. Morris.

Mechanics — M. Yanloon, carpenter; H. Hunt, J. Allison, wagon makers; Winter & Welker, H. Christy, cabinet makers ; F. Mohns, D. P. Thompson, sad- dlers; Levi Fisher, tinner; George Graham, James Harris, J. Borchers, F. Weaver, blacksmiths; Tripp & Seely. A. Kent, shoemakers; P. G. Woodworth, Sala, plasterers ; Joel Parsons, cooper.

Lawyers — J. Bird, B. F. Wright, J. Xoffsinger.

Physicians — J. Bell. Jr.. H. T. Cleaver, T. G. Taylor.

Hotels — Ohio House, lone House.

Bakers— A. M. Mathews.

This same issue has an article stating that during the past week a paper had been circulated for a subscription to build a Methodist church and that it was being liberallv met. The Times states: "Perhaps no other town in the state with the same extent of population and amount of means, is more needy than this in point of good houses for public worship."

About this same time the name of Rev. Obed Sperry appears in the paper as a resident Baptist clergyman.

May 6, 1852. F. L. ( Yankee 1 Robinson and his troupe gave a performance in a water proof pavilion, said to hold a thousand people and the show was pro- nounced a success.

The Intelligencer of May 24, 1853, has a personal item about B. F. Wright, Esq.. who had just returned from an extended visit to his parents. The closing paragraph i- as follows: "Speaking of his profession, reminds us that there is now pending an 'action in court,* in which he is 'chief advocate,' and we sincerely hope that he will prosecute it to a judgment ere many more 'courts.' It is a state case entitled 'The State of Matrimony vs. B. F. Wright' : the penalty, his heart

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 359

and its affections ; evidence on part of the state, the ladies generally ; no doubt is entertained of His conviction. Sentence, for life. Don't know where the pen- itentiary of that state is located."

The Intelligencer of June 21, 1853, notes that the town is beginning to look up and prospects brightening ; improvements about town going forward very rap- idly. It is expected that the court house will be completed by fall. It is noted that the school district had recently voted $2,000 for the erection of a suitable schoolhouse, and Rev. Eastman had announced the opening of an academy on July 1 ith and had purchased the present (that is, the old court house) for a schoolroom and intended to add another story to it.

E. M. Dean advertises in 1853 as a stone cutter, and a local item praises the work he did for the courthouse, and states that the stone was taken from quar- ries at the bluff southwest of Wapello.

Dr. Andrew P. Ringer died in the summer of 1853.

In July, 1853, the Times published the business directory and in addition to the names given in the directory of 1852 we note the following:

Merchants — G. A. Jones. Druggists — H. Howey.

Mechanics — Samuel Warn, carpenter; E. M. Dean, stone cutter; D. Morgan & Company, saddlers; H. Weber, blacksmith ; Ira Tompkins, shoemaker. Lawyers — John T. Burris. Hotel — Louisa House.

The Intelligencer of January 31, 1854, has the following item: "The large pens of corn on the premises of Messrs. Mark Davison and E. B. Isett, bespeak a brisk trade in that line, and are a passing comment on the productiveness of Louisa county farms. Whole trains of wagons loaded with corn are seen rolling into town nearly every day."

"The stacks of pork, too, in the establishment of the aforesaid dealers is un- mistakable evidence that prices have ranged favorably, etc."

In July, 1854, the Intelligencer notes that the Congregational church, the Methodist church, the new schoolhouse and numerous private buildings are being erected. During part of this year there was a literary society, which held meet- ings every Friday evening at the rooms of the Wapello Academy, conducted by Rev. Eastman, and in February the following gentlemen were invited to deliver addresses before the society during the fore part of the year ; Revs. Woods and Lathrop, Dr. J. Bell, Jr., Rev. Woodruff, B. F. Wright, Rev. Eastman, James Noffsinger, Rev. J. C. Tucker. E. Reach and Lewis Kinsey.

This year the law card of J. S. Hurley first appears in the paper.

There was quite a celebration on the Fourth in Wapello in 1855. We note that prayer was offered by G. W. Teas and that the Declaration of Independence was read by D. H. Reynolds, afterward a general in the Confederate army. The oration was delivered by L. P. Wells. J. H. Isett sang "The Star Spangled Ban- ner." "This piece was performed in a manner that brought down the enthusias- tic cheers of the audience upon the performer." A dozen or more toasts were given and it appears that the man who proposed a toast was usually invited to respond to it. These were Air Line railroad times and we give the toast proposed

360 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

by Dr. John Bell, Jr., and the editorial comment in regard to it : "The Pacific Railroad. — The wedding of the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans. Nations stand ready to greet the bridal m« >rn and serve the bridal feast ; and when the last link is laid, and the first fire breathing offspring has tried his metal lungs at a squall, and started on his triumphal Air Line march to greet his Pacific Father, at the setting sun, his track right across Aunt Louisa's bosom, may her oldest son, young Wapello, be out, with bis mother's consent, on Stilts as one of the Land- marks."

Dr. Bell, being called upon, said it was too late to talk about the Air Line. It bad been necessary to do a good deal of talking and it had been done, "and the railroad was no longer a creature of air, but a living, acting reality, a fixed fact," the Doctor sat down "amid thunders of enthusiastic applause."

This year the Wapello mill was grinding between four and five hundred bushels of wheat daily.

The card of D. N. Sprague, attorney at law, first appears in April of this year.

In December, 1856, we note that W. II. Milligan was conducting the Intelli- gencer ; also that during that month Lewis Kinsey was appointed by Governor ( Irimes as clerk of the supreme court to fill the vacancy occasioned by the declin- ation of the "late incumbent."

During this year there were many items concerning the Air Line railroad, but we have treated that matter pretty fully in its proper place.

In 1857 we find advertisements of Taylor & Muldoon, druggists and of J. B. Brigham, attorney and counselor at law.

September 7, 1857, the following officers were elected in Wapello: Mayor, John Bird ; recorder, Henry Hintzen ; marshal. E. W. Brady ; assessor, Thomas Stoddard; treasurer. John Hayes; councilrhen, first ward, J. H. Rollins and David McMichael; second ward, William Keach and M. P. Vanloon; third ward, J. M. Derrick, John Brogan.

In April, 1857, appears the card of the first bankers in Wapello, namely. Bird, Brown & Company, the firm consisting of John Bird, T. Horace Brown and Elias Keach. The firm was soon changed to Brown & Company. Mr. Bird retiring. During the close of the year Elias and James Keach advertised the exchange and banking house under the name of E. Keach & Company.

This year Sheriff Taylor advertises the sale of the Globe House on a judg- ment in favor of John L. Poor and against William Rankin. This house was situated on lot 1, block 10. in the original town.

We publish in full the business directory appearing in the Intelligencer early in January, 1859:

WAPELLO BUSINESS DIRECTORY. 185Q.

"Intelligencer" Office. Empire Block, No. 3, Up Stairs.

Merchants

C. Jackson & Co., E. L. Crain. J. I'. Bull, (I. A. [ones. Gus. Jones, A. Runge. I.. P. Wells. R. Fuhrmann, Mark Davison, Henry Helverson. John Carpenter.

Druggists

M. P. Vanloon, Harris Howey.

SCENE OX THE IOWA RIVER AT WAPELLO

W YOP

■ PUBLIC I

r.RNOI ASD B L

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY :;C1

Hardware

T. W. Bailey.

Shoemakers

George Plitt, J. Rock, A. Cook.

Books & Stationery John Keller.

Tailors C. F. Morris, G. Grieble.

Daguerrean Artist S. T. Trimble.

Coopers J. C. Parsons, Isaac Thorndike.

Blacksmiths

A. Garret, T. Murtha, P. Drischal, J. Sprinkle.

Masons P. Gilda.

Tin Shops

Levi Fisher, Second street, one door north postoffice ; D. S. Stuart, over T. W. Bailey's.

Cabinet Makers

Christie & Stein, Henry Christy, John Stein.

Carpenters & Joiners Archibald & Lincoln, J. C. Chase. John Sweeney, John Brogan, J. Stone.

Mill Wright

B. H. Druse.

Harness Makers

X. D. Morgan & Brother. Henry Botha.

Wagon Makers • John Allison Gray.

Millers

Wapello Mill Company, S. Townsend, James Semple, R. F. Charles, John Mann and Neal, millers.

Planing Mills and Sash factories

Archibald & Lincoln, J. C. Chase.

Lawyers

Hurley & Brigham, J. S. Hurley, J. B. Brigham, Bird & Sprague, J. Bird. D. N. Sprague, Richman Bro. & Perkins, H. W. Perkins, resident; B. F. Wright.

Physicians & Surgeons

H. T. Cleaver; Taylor & Muldoon, T. G. Taylor. J. Muldoon; John Hurley.

362 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Ministers of the Gospel

O. H. Miller, Presb. : J. H. Coggshall, Bapt. ; J. McClasky, Meth.

During this year Chase & Bull started the steam flour mill, and Thomas Owens began to advertise the Iowa House.

From the Wapello Republican of January 12, i860, published by J. M. Edwards and Henry Mintun we copy the following program of the Calliopean Institute: The Calliopean Institute Will Meet at the Court House on Friday Eve,

January 13, i860. Programme

1 Music Strauss Band

2. Reading Minutes

3. Miscellaneous Business

4. Critique H. W. Perkins

5. Impromptu B. F. Wright

6. Select Reading Miss Abbie Baker

7. Music Strauss Band

8. Written Discussion D. C. Hurley— G. F. Danson

9. Poem T. S. Bell

10. Essay J- L- KmS

11. Declamation P- P- Kinsey

12. Essay Miss Cal Ringer

1 t,. Music Strauss Band

14. Impromptu Levi Chase

15. Machine Poetry John Hale

16. Declamation Smith Galey

17. Essay J- E. Vale

18. Select Reading Miss Mary Thomas

19. Song A. W. Kelly

20. Reading "Wreath" Miss Rose Davison

21 . Essay G. B. Williams

22. Declamation Jacob Hunsicker

23. Select Reading Miss Ella Wilson

24. Reading "Banner" H.N. Milligan

25. Music Strauss Band

Adjournment.

John Herrick,

President.

J. N. Beatty,

Secretary.

In January, i860, fall wheat was worth 80 to 85 cents; spring wheat, 75 to 80 cents ; corn 25 cents ; potatoes, 30 to 40 cents ; flour $2.50 per cwt. ; hogs, $5.50 per cwt ; coffee, 16 2/3 cents lb. ; sugar, 9 to 11 cents lb.

The Republican changed hands several times during i860. January 12, Min- tun & Edwards were publishers ; May 31, J. & H. Mintun were the publishers, and

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 363

Henry Fulton, editor. August y the firm was Fulton & Mintun and on the ifrth it was H. Fulton & Company.

The issue of the Republican for January 3, 1861, indicates hard times. Nearly one-half the paper was taken up with the tax sale list of Columbus City and Wapello townships alone. The list was so large that it could not all be printed in one issue.

Sheriff Taylor also had eight sheriff sale notices in this issue.

We have few items of interest concerning Wapello history during the war period, except such as relate to the war. Many of her citizens responded to the call for soldiers, and their names will be found in the chapter devoted to that subject.

In June, 1865. James D. Barr was publishing the Republican. Among the advertisers we note R. Prentiss as an attorney. Shortly before this Mr. Prentiss had advertised at Port Louisa. Also E. B. Downs, M. D., of Wapello.

Howe's Circus visited Wapello in June.

About this time L. P. Wells was doing some poetical advertising. We quote from one of them to show their style :

"Hark on the air the music swells Ami list unto the tale it tells As o'er the plains and through the dells With sound as sweet as Switzer bells The fall of prices it foretells — Now list the sound ye city bells And each that in the country dwells Go buy your 'rig' of him who sells At cheapest price — that's L. P. Wells."

Monday, September 4, 1865, the following named persons were elected to office in the city of Wapello ; Mayor, J. H. Rollins ; recorder, I. S. Drummond ; assessor, H. Lincoln ; marshal, R. Archibald : councilmen, first ward, J. H. Keller and Joseph Jackson; second ward. J. D. Barr and O. A. Taylor; third ward, Charles Vanloon and Vinton Massie.

Tanuary 9, 1866, the Republican seems to have been published by E. H. Thomas and edited by S. E. Jones, who was also a physician and county judge. In this paper G. T. Whisler advertises as a lawyer in Grandview. H. D. Keller advertises a new photograph gallery. It also has the business cards of J. F. Grimes, M. D., and E. H. Burris, electric physician and surgeon.

Editorial reference is made to a recent meeting of the Louisa County Medical Society, in which it is stated that this is the oldest medical society in the state, having been organized nearly fourteen years ago.

In 1866 we find E. D. Ferguson as a doctor in Wapello, and Walter Fritzche, claim agent.

Among the business cards in the Republican in 1866 we note P. P. Kinsey, L. P. Wells, A. Runge, M. Davison, Jacob Mintun, A. Garrett, G. Jones, John Keck, S. Griebel, Hicklin & McKay and M. P. Vanloon.

This year the Wapello woolen mill building was commenced in the fall, by Henry Botha, James Semple and others.

364 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Another institution that should be mentioned in connection with Wapello's history is the Louisa County Agricultural Society, which is believed to have been the first county society of this kind to hold a county fair. The most of its ex- hibitions were given at Wapello, although at one time it was "on wheels" for a few years, giving exhibitions at Morning Sun and at Columbus City. The Agri- cultural Society has had many ups and downs, possibly more of the latter than the former. A few years ago it was succeeded by the Wapello District Fair Association, and considerable money was spent in paying up old debts, erecting new buildings, fences, etc., but owing to unfavorable weather conditions for sev- eral years another heavy debt was contracted and the association practically re- tired from the fair business.

We do not have the date of the first fair, but our authority for the statement that Louisa county had the first fair, is an article from the Iowa Farmer, quoted in the Wapello Intelligencer of August 23rd, 1853, which states: "The first agri- cultural fair ever held in the state was held in Louisa county. It was projected and carried forward from year to year by the farmers of the county voluntarily and without that stimulus from the state government which perhaps induces the organization of some of the societies now days."

The original society held a fair at Wapello in October, 1853, and awarded to George Key the first premium for the "best acre of corn, — 120 bushels to the acre." Soloman Fishthorn was given the second premium because he only raised in bushels to the acre. They either had some very tall corn or some very ac- commodating judges in those days.

We must not forget to mention the fact that Wapello once issued money. At that time it was called scrip, and bills of denomination of one, two, three and five dollars were issued in large numbers in 1857. Samuel Townsend was mayor and Levi Fisher was Recorder. It is said that they were largely circulated through the medium of the bank of Bird, Brown & Keach, or their successors, we are not sure which, as Colonel Bird was not connected with the bank very long. It is also said that Wapello never received any financial benefit from the issuance of this scrip, but never lost anything by it, as none of it was ever re- deemed. A facsimile of the various denominations of this scrip is given herewith. During the war the Wapello soldiers distributed considerable of this scrip among the unsophisticated southerners, and for years afterward it was not an uncommon thing for the Wapello banks or the city officials to receive some of it for collec- tion. \\'e have it on the authority of men who were living in Wapello at that time, that many of our neighboring cities issued similar scrip and that none of it was ever redeemed.

Wapello Lodge Xo. 5, A. F. & A. M., was constituted on January 2, 1843. by the Grand Lodge of Iowa at Iowa City. A dispensation was granted to George W. McCleary, Robert F. Burchell, Lewis Kinsey, and others to form a lodge at Wapello ; and this was done and the lodge was represented at the second meeting of the Grand Lodge in January. 1844, by G. W. McCleary, Z. C. Inghram, and Lewis Kinsey. At this meeting a charter was ordered to be issued to the lodge as Wapello Lodge Xo. 5, this being the first original charter issued by the grand lodge of Iowa; and the original charter is still in use in the lodge room. It is in- teresting to know that there was some good-natured rivalry for the honor of se- curing the first charter from the new Grand Lodge of Iowa. Brother William

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY :;r,;,

Abbe, a prominent Mason residing at Marion in Linn County, concluded tbat he would like to have the first dispensation issued by the new Grand Lodge, and so stated while at Iowa City a short time before this. George W. McCleary was in the legislature, and concluded that he would outwit Brother Abbe and sent a special messenger to Wapello to secure the requisite signatures for the organiza- tion of a lodge. The petition of the Wapello brethren was promptly presented and the dispensation issued, with George W. McCleary as the first Master. At its organization, the lodge was composed of 15 members, and the officers not al- ready mentioned were A. G. Siverly, treasurer, J. C. McCleary, secretary, David Hurley, S. D., J. A. Millard, J. D., and J. W. Watson, tyler. It is said that the dispensation was procured by J. W. Watson, who made the trip to Iowa City and back for that purpose, on foot. The Masters of the lodge in the order of their service are as follows : Geo. W. McCleary, Lewis Kinsey, J. W. Isett, John Bird, Dr. John Bell, Jr., J. Winter, C. F. Morris, Elias Keach, M. P. Vanloon, John Hale, Dr. T. G. Taylor, L. P. Wells, J. M. Edwards, Dr. J. F. Grimes, J. S. Hurley. John Jenkins, T. L. Garrett, L. C. Wonnell, L. A. Reiley, Dr. W. S. Grimes, D. Kirkpatrick, Clint. L. Price, H. O. Pease, Arthur H. Dewein, Oscar Hale, James S. McChesney, J. A. Bigger, J. H. Dickson, Frank Smith.

The lodge was organized in a room in Drake's Hotel, the building which was afterwards called the Iowa House. After that, its sessions were held for a while in a room over Pilger's store, which was situated on the opposite side of the street from the Iowa House, and was burned long ago. It next occupied a room in the house of John Allison, adjoining the lot on which its present building now stands. Then it was removed in 1846 to a room prepared for that purpose in the house of J. W. Watson, situated where the Wapello State Savings Bank is located. In 1849, a movement was started to build a hall in conjunction with the Odd Fellows. This resulted in the erection of the present G. A. R. building, the lower story of which belonged to Elias Keach, and the upper story was owned jointly by the Masons and Odd Fellows, and was occupied in 185 1. In 1882 the lodge moved to the Odd Fellows' Hall, where it remained until the erection of its present building, which was completed about December 24, 1887. The pres- ent membership is 92.

Wapello Chapter No. 257, Order of Eastern Star was instituted in Wapello, Iowa, May 3, 1899, witn twenty-three charter members, viz: Mr. and Mrs. John Hale, Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Davison, Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Reiley, Mr. and Mrs. John G. Keck, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Keck, Mr. and Mrs. Clint. L. Price, Dr. and Mrs. W. S. Grimes, Mr. and Mrs. A. O. Thompson, Mrs. George Hayden, Mrs. W. H. Cody, Mrs. Dr. Tustison, Miss Mary McChesney, Miss Una Lacey, Miss Flor- ence Hurley, Mr. E. K. Hurley.

The first officers were: Mrs. Mary A. Davison, Worthy Matron; Clint. L. Price, Worthy Patron; Mrs. Clara Hale, Asso. Matron; Miss Florence Hurley, Secretary ; Mrs. Ida Price, Treasurer ; Mrs. Laura E. Grimes, Conductress ; Miss Una Lacey, Asso. Conductress ; John Hale, Chaplain ; Mrs. Sophia Tustison, Adah; Mrs. Jessie Thompson, Ruth; Mrs. Lydia Keck, Ester; Mrs. Vira Keck, Martha; Mrs. Sarah Hayden, Electa; Mrs. Louisa Cody, Warder; H. B. Davi- son, Sentinel. The Eastern Star now numbers 112 members. Its present elec- tive officers are : Mrs. Ida C. Frost, W. M. ; L. C. Wonnell, W. P. ; Mrs. Laura

3136 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

E. Grimes, Secretary; Miss Alice L. Hurley, Treasurer; Mrs. Sylvia Herrick, Cond. ; Miss Kate Kremer, Asso. Matron; Mrs. Lola G. Edwards, Asso. Cond.

Louisa Lodge, No. 19, I. O. O. F., of Wapello, was instituted December 18, 1848, and is now in its sixty-third year. On the 18th of November, 1848, the late George Grasham made a trip to Bloomington, now Muscatine, and paid the charter fee of $30, the receipt for which is now in possession of the lodge. The lodge re- ceived its charter January 19, 1849. George W. McCleary was the first noble grand and Henry Christie the first representative to the grand lodge.

Meetings were first held in a building owned by Pilger Brothers, located on Water street at the corner of Merchant. In 1851 the lodge moved to a building on Second street, which stood on the site of the building now used by the Knights of Pythias. A few years later they moved to their present home, which they sub- sequently purchased. The building together with the contents was destroyed by lire, August 13, 1873, and a new building was erected on the same site at a cost of 83,500. At the time of the fire the lodge had only $900 insurance, and when the new building was completed it left them in debt to the extent of $1,800. The debt was eventually cancelled and the new hall used until January 8, 1892, when another fire occurred. The lodge immediately rebuilt, purchasing more ground. The building was made larger, and the lodge again incurred an indebtedness of $2,000 but this was paid off in a few years. The building eventually became too small, owing to the steady growth of the lodge and in 1908 a two-story addition was built. The hall is now a two-story brick structure 24x100 feet. The lower story is leased for a store room, while the entire upper floor is used for lodge purposes. It is neatly and comfortably furnished and serves as a home for the Rebekah encampment as well a^ for the subordinate lodge.

The charter members were: George W. McCleary, Henry Christie, Lewis Kin- sey, Joseph L. Derbin, Thomas J. Fleming and Micajah Reeder. The lodge now has a membership of 140 and is in a prosperous and flourishing condition. The present officers are : N. G. E. B. Cook : V. G, Fosdick Fitzgerald ; Rec. Sec, Aner Nearhood ; Fin. Sec. Fred Gall; Treas., C. M. Donaldson.

Derexa Rebekah Lodge, No. 129, was chartered on December 3rd, 1898. It is named after Mrs. James Semple, who was a member of a Rebekah Lodge which existed here many years ago. but which had been abandoned. .

The charter members of Derexa No. 129 were: H. A. Plitt, Minnie Plitt, I. S. McChesney. E. C. McChesney. W. S. Otto, Ella Otto. Herman Otto, Elizabeth Otto, Marie E. Otto, Horace Beane, Louie Beane, John Tmher, Minnie M. Imber, America Beane, D. Kirkpatrick. Sarah A. Kirkpatrick, Margaret Graham, lames Semple, Clara Keller. Lillie Shipman, L. C. Winter. Lena Winter. S. G. Stone, Geo. R. Keller, Margaret Keller. The present officers are: Mollie Schneider, Noble Grand; Angie Bates, Vice-Grand; Maud Lesnet. Secretary ; Carrie Hoag. Treasurer.

This lodge now has a membership of 85. and is recognized as among the active lodges of the state. One of its members, Mrs. Marie E. Dewein. has been stenog- rapher for the state assembly for several years, and is now a candidate for treas- urer of the state organization.

One of the live and thriving social organizations is Black Hawk Lodge No. 281, Knights of Pythias which was organized February 5. 1891. P. P. NNYIT. The charter members were A. M. M. Dornan.S. P. Newell. W. C. Morgan. T. C.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 367

Byram, W. E. Fielman, J. C. Goodrich, R. G. Hawkins, R. D. Jamison, A. R. Copeland, Fred Keck, R. M. Garrett, J. E. Garrett, E. R. Tillman, H. T. Fish, W. A. Lester, E. K. Hurley, J. W. Illingsworth, W. A. Colip, David Kirkpatrick, H. M. Holler, J. E. Ware, W. S. Grimes, E. M. Edwards, Isaac Black, Ed. Hick- lin, J. S. Kelly, A. W. Loper, G. A. Freeland.

The lodge was instituted by Liberty Lodge No. 22 of Columbus Junction. It now has about 125 active members, and its present officers are : Rex Nyemaster, C. C. ; E. V. Johnson, V. C. ; Fred Davis, P. ; R. W. Adye, M. W. ; H. B. Kelly, K. R. of S. ; Walter Schwob, M. F. ; R. L. Davison, M. E. ; J. O. Isett, M. A. ; Warren Stroup, I. G. ; John Mayne, O. G.

The Pythian sisters were organized as Wapello Chapter No. 168, August 13, 1903. The charter officers were: Mrs. Lola Druse, M. E. C. ; Mrs. Eleanor Gar- rett, E. S. ; Mrs. Mattie McCray, E. J.; Mrs. Emma Foor, M. T. ; Mrs. Irene Archibald, M. R. C. ; Mrs. Millicent Hicklin, M. F. ; Mrs. Louisa A. Crutchfield, P. T. ; Mrs. Jessie Tustison, G. T. ; Miss Elizabeth Hurley, P. C.

The present officers are as follows: Mrs. Nelia C. Springer, M. E. C. ; Miss Anna Warren, E. S. ; Mrs. Mary Bumgardner, E. J. ; Mrs. Mayme Davison, M. T. ; Mrs. Mae Kelly, M. R. C. ; Miss America Beane, M. F. ; Mrs. Rachel Kelly. P. T. ; Mrs. Emma Isett, G. T. ; Mrs. Elizabeth Owens, P. C.

Wapello Camp No. 3005, Modern Woodmen of America was chartered May 27, 1895. The charter members were: W. H. Bothe, John E. Davis, R. M. Gar- rett, J. D. Hicklin, Fred Keck, John G. Keck, J. I. Lesnet, J. E. McCray, J. L. Nyemaster, S. H. Schafer, D. C. Thomas, and C. W. Warren. Its' officers in 191 1 were W. A. Stroup, V. C, Fred Davis, W. A., Will Mottet, E. B., R. W. Adye, P. C, C. M. Wright, F. E. Beane and C. A. Lofgren, trustees. Present member- ship, 150.

The Royal Neighbors were chartered March 24, 1902, the charter members being : Myrtle Townsend, Lulu Linehan, Kittie Wright, C. M. Wright, Ella Hick- lin, Alice A. Peters, Angie Zerber, Linnie Neal, Orran Zerber, T. J. O'Donnell, Anna May O'Donnell, Mrs. J. Grimm, Minnie Marshall. Ada Smith, J. A. Walla- han, Carrie L. Shipman, Ella B. Wallahan, Emma Foor, Jennie Joy, John Dunn.

The principal officers at this time are : Mrs. Blanche Bigger, oracle ; Mrs. Maud V. Schafer, receiver; Mrs. Clara Hook, recorder.

Wapello has a strong Post of the Grand Army of the Republic. It is called A. M. Taylor post, and was organized February 23, 1884. There had been a post in existence in Wapello before, organized about 1866. The membership of the A. M. Taylor post at the present time is 53. They own the present postoffice building and have their meeting hall in the second story. The present officers are: W. C. Saunders, commander: N. W. McKay, adjutant: J. F. McLaughlin, senior vice commander; Phillip Richley, junior vice commander; J. F. Heins, chaplain ; C. E. Frost, quartermaster ; Dan Graham, officer of the day ; Tarlton Wilson, officer of the guard.

There were 28 charter members of this post, of whom only six are now living, viz: N. W. McKay, S. F. Small, F. M. Ong, W. R. Colip, Silas Tompkins, W. C. Saunders.

Auxiliary to this there is an excellent organization of the Women's Relief Corps, of which Marietta Foor is president, and Emily Mincher, secretary.

368 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

One almost forgotten enterprise was the Wapello Distillery, which was operated here for quite awhile, along about 1867.

It did an extensive business and furnished a good market for Louisa county corn.

Mention should be made of a number of our "old timers" who now live in Wapello but have retired from active business. J. L. Sweeney was at one time- a contractor and builder: F. M. Ong was first a merchant tailor, and later he and George R. Keller conducted a drug store for a great many years. J. B. McCullough was an extensive dealer in lumber, and J. C. Farver was a merchant.

Two of the men, who, for a great many years, did much to keep up the business reputation of Wapello as a trading point, were Abel Garrett, who died several years ago, and D. C. Thomas who died in 1907. In addition to his qualities as a merchant. Mr. Thomas had, and deserved, the reputation of being one of the most public-spirited men in the county. Ft. A. Plitt who recently moved to Wisconsin, will long lie remembered as having been a popular and enterprising merchant of this place, who always did his share to promote the general welfare. Special mention must also be made of Henry D. Keller, for years the leading photographer of the county, a good soldier and a splendid man.

The population of Wapello, at various census enumerations, has been as fol- lows: 1850—336: 1854—544: 1850— 1.027: 1860—821: 1863—876; 1865—880; 1870 — 870; 1875 — 933; 1880 — 928; 1890 — 1,009; 1895—1,290; 1900—1,298; 1905 — 1,293: 1910 — 1.326.

One of the most important industrial institutions in the county is the sweet corn canning factory, owned by Baxter Brothers and located in Wapello. It is among the largest and best in the state, canning about three million cans of corn in the summer of 191 1. During the canning period which generally lasts five or six weeks, Baxter Brothers often have three hundred people employed.

Another important concern is the button factory, which occupies the new brick building recently built for it by the citizens of Wapello. The factory is owned by The Vienna Pearl Button Company and employs about forty hands.

Wapello has a complete and well managed Electric Light plant, owned by Mr. Ora Vaught, who also furnishes power for various labor saving appliances, such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners, fans, irons, etc.

Tt also has a good system of waterworks, giving fire protection to every part of the city: a considerable part of the city has sewers, and the rest will doubtless be served in the near future.

Wapello has a very efficient set of officers, as follows : L. C. Wonnell. mayor ; John G. Keck, recorder ; R. D. McCullough, treasurer ; Ward Williams, marshal. Councilmen : First ward, Aner Nearhood, M. Hunter; Second ward, A. G. Lischer, G. R. Deihl : Third ward. H. R. Christie. H. O. Pease.

One enterprise which we almost omitted, was the Woolen Mills, established in the late '6os by Henry Botha, Julius Johann, and Ernest Winter. We note that in 1868 they advertised that they were fully prepared to make fine qualities of cloths, flannels, satinetts, etc., and to do carding and spinning.

The Methodist Episcopal church of Wapello is said to have been organized in 1830. by Rev. Joseph Kirkpatrick, a missionary sent from the Illinois con- ference. The Iowa conference was not organized until 1844. Thomas M. Kirkpatrick is also said to have been one of the early preachers at this place,

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 369

and following him was John Hayden. The first mention we find of Wapello in the Methodist conference reports is for the year 1845. At this time the mem- bership is given at 112, and Robert Rice was the local preacher. In the year 1840, this territory belonged to the Rock River conference, and we find that Joseph L. Kirkpatrick was located at Crawfordsville, and Thomas M. Kirk- patrick at Mt. Pleasant; and it is probable that one or both of them supplied this pulpit. The next year John Hayden was located at Crawfordsville ; in 1842, Joseph L. Kirkpatrick was located at Grandview. and John Hayden at Crawfordsville. In 1843. Luther McVay was located at Grandview. Micajah Reeder at Crawfordsville, and Joseph L. Kirkpatrick at Yellow Springs. In 1844. Laban Case was located at Grandview. Micajah Reeder at Crawfordsville, and Joseph L. Kirkpatrick at Yellow Springs. The conference records for the year 1846 show the Wapello membership to have been 209, but no preacher is named at this point, though we find the name of Robert Rice as located at Crawfordsville, and John II. Dennis at Grandview. We find no further men- tion of Wapello in the Iowa conference reports until 1854, when we find the name of G. W. Teas, and Henry Clay Dean is given as the local preacher at Wapello in 1855. Other ministers from that time to the present were: Toseph Paschal, I.. A. Smith, J. G. Thompson, I. M. McClosky. A. S. Prather, Dennis Murphy, Jesse Craig, J. A. Wilson, F. H. Burris, N. H. Mitchell, B. A. Wright, J. D. DeTar, C. L. Stafford, S. S. Murphy, W. M. Brown. G. W. Byrkit, A. Kershaw, C. F. Williams, F. R. Ilolcomb, J. C. Kendrick, O. P. Light, W. I'. Elliott, A. B. Shipman, F. Ashpole, F. M. Mahurin. J. C. Goodrich, J. C. WiHits, G. W. Younkin, T. S. Pool, R. L. Patterson. W. C. Chew, M. E. Reusch, J. E. Newsom, E. C. Brooks.

It is said that the first services held by the Methodists in Wapello were held in the dining room of the Drake Hotel. Some time later they were held in the old brick courthouse, and still later in a small frame building which stood about wdiere the present German church stands. In 1852, the Methodists com- menced the erection of a brick building which was completed in about a year. at a cost of nearly $2,000.00. In 1876 a frame building took the place of the old brick church and cost about $3,500.00. In February of 1902, the remodelling of the frame church was completed at a cost of about $3,600.00. The church membership at the present time is about 125.

From quite an early day there have been a great manv German families in and around Wrapello, and they have a strong church organization here.

It is said that the first church built by the Germans in Wapello, was a small frame on the lot now occupied by their church. Soon after that a German church congregation was organized on Long creek, and it and the Wapello church were supplied by the same ministers. The ministers who have officiated in the two congregations are as follows: Th. Schulze, 1846-1847: F. Blank, '47-48 ; I. I. Young. '48-49 ; Ph. Funck, 49-'5o: H. Fiegenbaum, '5o-'52 : A. Salzer and F. Merton, '52-'53 ; Rev. J. Haas and C. Shuler, "53-'54 ; Rev. Senn. '54-'56: C. Bernreuter, '56-'57 : F. W. Conrath, '57-'s8 ; Rev. J. Rinder, '58-T10 : 1. W. Roecker, '59-'6o ; Theodore Miller, '6o-'6i ; J. Schnackenberg, '6i-'62: W. Winter, '62-'63 ; F. Heinz. '63-'66; F. Fiegenbaum, '66-'68 ; J. P. Faust, '68-'6g : W. Zuppan. '6g--72 : J. Feisel, '72-75 ; F. Arnsberger, '75-77 ; George I'litt, '77-78: R. J. Tillman. 78-'8t ; S. Segesser, '8i-'82; H. Ross, '82-'85 : F.

370 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

L. Litzrodt, '8s-'87; J. P. Wilhelmi, '87-90; J. H. Knehans, '90-95; H. Zim- merman, '95-'98; E. W. Simon, '98-99; J. B. Schweitert, '99-01 ; W. C. Schultze, 'oi-'04; J. P. Hehner, '04-07; F. J. Sternberg, '07-' 10; David Froeschle, '10 — .

In place of the old Long Creek or Sand Prairie church the Germans have now a neat church edifice about a mile and a half south of the old church site.

The present church building of the German M. E. church in Wapello was originally built in 1871, when Rev. Zuppan was pastor. William Archibald was the builder. In 1902, when Rev. W. C. Schultze was pastor, the building was entirely remodeled at an expense of about $4,400. W. S. Isett was the builder. The building was rededicated, with impressive ceremonies, on Sunday, November 30, 1902.

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST

The history of the Church of Christ, or Christian church, in Louisa county, dates back to pioneer days. The first preachers of what was called the "Refor- mation," sometimes called the "Restoration Movement of the Nineteenth Cen- tury," was John Rigdon, perhaps ; a little later came Aaron Chatterton, who was an itinerating evangelist all over southeastern Iowa. A church was estab- lished in Columbus City sometime in the early forties. It was first organized in the log cabin of "Uncle Barstow" Williams, who lived some three or four miles south of Columbus City. This church was at one time one of the strongest organizations in the state. Such men as John Errett, Jonas Hartzel, J. K. Cornell, F. Walden, L. C. Wilson, J. Madison Williams, Simpson Ely, J. H. Painter and other prominent preachers and evangelists labored in this church.

Along in the sixties an organization was formed at what was known as Concord, about two and a half miles northwest of Morning Sun. Here a union house was built, owned jointly by the Methodists, Church of God and the Christians. For many years the work was fairly prosperous, but the shifting of country population and the building up of churches in the towns left the work to languish and die. For a number of years the old Concord stone church stood practically unused. In 1895 Dr. Win. M. Semones. then a medical student in the State University, at Iowa City, who was also a good minister of the Gospel, visited the church, where a Sunday School had been organized, and for some months preached in the community, at Concord and at a schoolhouse about four miles southwest of Wapello. It was out of this Sunday School and a short meeting held by Dr. Semones at the schoolhouse, that the church in Wapello grew.

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN WAPELLO

The Church of Christ in Wapello was organized by Evangelist Simpson Ely, then of Kirksville. Mo., following a meeting which was held in the courthouse park. The charter members numbered 57 and the date of organization was September 29, 1895. The following May. Evangelist Ely held another meeting, adding some to the membership and closing with a subscription of $1,500 for the erection of a church building. This building was begun the following year and completed in 1897. giving them a property valued at $8,000, now free of debt, owing largely to the liberality of James E. Blanchard, one of the charter members, and father of Charles Blanchard, the latter being the active elder of

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 371

the congregation from its organization until the removal of the family to Des Moines in the fall of 1910.

The membership of the church has shifted with removals and the unfaith- fulness of some, but has always been fairly active in the work, in the Bible school, Christian Endeavor (the latter having been one of the largest and best C. E. societies in the county for many years) and in the benevolent and mis- sionary and civic activities of the community.

Among those who have supplied the pulpit, or occupied it as regular pastors, are the following: Wm. M. Semones, A. B. Clark, I. H. Fuller, D. L. Dunkle- berger, J. K. Ballon, G. L. Brokaw, S. B. Ross, A. L. Hill and Wm. A. Hunt. The following evangelists have held meetings : Simpson Ely, R. A. Omer, J. G. H. Bennett. J. H. Bryan, Mrs. Clara Hazelrigg, Charles G. Stout, Arthur Long and "Thompson, the Egyptian." The present pastor is Rev. O. I. Bennett.

HISTORY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF WAPELLO, IOWA

(Contributed)

It was early in the fifties that the movement was inaugurated which has resulted in the Presbyterian organization of Wapello of today.

It was a company of women who first discovered that our Lord had arisen from the dead. Some may be unwilling to concede that women lead in church work, but however that may be, it is certain that it was the efforts of a woman which resulted in the organization of the Sabbath School which was the fore- runner of the work since accomplished by the Presbyterian church.

This Sabbath School was founded by Mrs. Dr. T. G. Taylor. To the results of this school's influence we are indebted for the organization of the Congrega- tional church, which afterwards became the First Presbyterian church of Wapello. The first services of the Congregational society were held in what was at that time the courthouse of Louisa county, a building which still remains standing in comparatively good condition. Rev. Mr. Wood was the first pastor of the newly formed Congregational society and preached for some time in the old courthouse. During his pastorate the old brick church on Second street was erected about the years 1853-4. Dr. Salter of Burlington, was present at the dedication services, participating in the same. The pastor, Mr. Wood, was ill at the time of these services and unable to be present, but at his request the church was dedicated in accordance with previous arrangements. Very soon it was found to the great sorrow of the congregation that the sickness was unto death. Mr. Woods died shortly after this house of worship was dedicated, and was buried in the cemetery near Wapello where he now rests in peace. On his monument is the significant inscription, "Bury me where I fall."

After his death the church became very seriously involved financially, the debt that had been incurred in the erection of the church remained an ever increasing burden. This burden was the means of the abandonment of the work in Wapello by the Congregational society. The church building was sold and was purchased by Mrs. Jane B. Underwood, from whom it was in turn bought by the Presbyterian congregation.

In the minutes of the meeting of the Presbytery at Keokuk. Iowa, held April 7, 1857, it is stated that a petition was presented from several persons in

372 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Wapello, Iowa, asking to be organized into a church and that the request was granted. The committee appointed to complete such work was Revs. F. B. Dinsmore, B. Wall and T. Stearns, together with Elder Hamilton Brown, and in the minutes of the Presbytery held at Fairfield in October, 1857, 'l 's recorded that the church organized and ordered that it be enrolled.

The sessional records record that the church was organized with thirteen members and two elders and it was ordered that the church be styled and known as the First Presbyterian church of Wapello. Of the original thirteen members, two are connected with the church at the present time ; these persons. Mr. I. L. Sweenev and wife, Sarah A. Sweeney, have held continuous member- ship here for fifty-five years.

In 1858 permission was granted the churches of Wapello and Oakland to employ Rev. O. H. Miller, who was the first Presbyterian minister in charge of this church. He served as stated supply during the latter part of the year 1S58 and during the years 1859 and i860. In 1861 Mr. Miller was dismissed to the Presbytery of Blairsville and the church was reported vacant.

The important part which the Sabbath School played in the history of this church is worthy of mention. So far as can be learned the school has never been abandoned for any length of time and has been the means under God of holding the church together when there was no other bond. It was largely due to J. L. Sweeney, the only male member of the original thirteen now in the church, that the school was sustained for years, in the time when teachers were hard to find and when the superintendent was at the same time chorister, teacher, librarian and janitor.

The church being vacant during the years 1861-1865, Rev. D. T. Campbell was the stated supply. In 1865 Rev. Hill served as a supply for a short time. In 1866 the church issued a call to Rev. J. Baay which was accepted and Rev. Baav served the church as pastor for three years. 1867-1870. After Mr. Baay's departure the church was without a minister and regular services for four years from 1870 to 1874. The second pastor of the Wapello church was Rev. A. Heizer, who served the church from 1874 to 1879. During his pastorate the churches of Toolesboro, Wapello and Oakland were united into one charge. After Mr. Heizer"s pastorate the church was without a pastor until the fall of 1889 a period of ten years when Rev. A. W. Cooper was installed. During these years the church was supplied by Rev. D. T. Campbell and Messrs. J. W. Foxe and E. M. Sharp, students. In 1889 Rev. A. W. Cooper became the third pastor. In 1890 he was dismissed to the Presbytery of Siam. where he is at present en- gaged in the foreign work. In 1891 Rev. J. H. Condit became the fourth pastor in the order of succession. He served the church until April, 1896, when he was dismissed to enter the mission work at Juneau, Alaska, thus making the third missionary sent out from this church. Prof. V. C. Gambell and wife having al- ready entered the field a few years previous. It was during his pastorate that the present building was erected, the dedication service taking place December 11, [892. Following the pastorate of Rev. Condit was that of Rev. T. X. Buchanan during the years 1896 to 1899. Rev. R. J. L. Matthews acted as stated supply from 1899 to 1903. The sixth pastor was the Rev. W. H. Cooper, 1903-1906. Following Rev. Cooper was Rev. M. E. Todd, pastor 1906-1907. Then came an- other supply in the person of Rev. Theo. Koopman, 1907-1908. The eighth pas-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY :;73

tor was Rev. W. J. Gerlach, who served from iyo8 to 1910. The present minister, Rev. Carl Montanus, began serving the church in September, 1911.

Thus we have the history of the Presbyterian church for a little more than half a century. Since there is no such thing as stationary Christianity, either with individuals or with organizations, we can but say the church of God must "go forward," and with God for a leader, greater and better things are predicted for the future.

We find a number of interesting items about Wapello and about early times in Louisa county in a series of articles written by Robert E. Uarr for the Wapello Tribune, beginning in June, 1905, and ending some time in September. Many of the matters referred to by his articles have already been given in this history and hence we make selections, instead of publishing them in full :

"About old Wapello. I remember once reading 'that in all the wide realm of fiction and reality there is no more strange and interesting story than a plain re- cital of the growth and development of one's home town.' It used to be lively here, but that was in antebellum times, or as the southern gentleman would express it, 'befoh the wah.' To be sure, things here then were not polished up with the touch of metropolitan ideas, and conveniences and comforts must have been mea- ger, if experienced at all, as I remember my father telling about the early school- room here with its long rows of wooden, backless benches made from puncheon slabs with wooden pins for legs, and about the backache it gave one to sit there all day. But while those old schoolhouses with their antiquated seats were not elaborate affairs, yet in them could always be found a sensible "schoolmaster' who was fully capable of imparting to the youth and maiden sufficient education to place them on the highway that leads to success.

"In those days the illuminating power consisted of the old tallow candle, and the writer can even remember a more homely affair used for lighting purposes — the old tallow dip — constructed by placing a piece of cloth in a small pan, filling the pan with grease and lighting the same. I can smell the fumes and disagree- able odors yet of those old 'grease lamps,' as they were called, and the stores, if you can imagine, how they must have looked at night with from two to four tall tallow candles giving light for the convenience of customers who came to trade. And in my own personal recollection, I can distinctly remember the new era regarding lights which was soon universally adopted in Wapello. This was the introduction here of the coal oil glass lamp. My father purchased and used the first coal oil lamp ever brought to town. It came from Muscatine, cost a good round price and he paid $1.25 for a jug of coal oil. It was quite a sight to see a lamp burning in those days, and the brilliant flame beside that of the old flickering candle was something grand. Soon more of them were brought to town and ere long the old brass candle stick and its monument of grease were soon relegated to the rear.

"As to social functions in those days, I am led to believe by what I have heard that people enjoyed themselves more then than now. To be sure, the violin was the principal instrument and from legends handed down, it seemed to attract the young folks from far and near to participate in a social dance to which there was an oyster supper always attached. Everybody knew everybody else and 'our set,' the 'dude,' and the 'smart' young lady were things of the future and the men smoked 'Cuba Sixes' instead of cigarettes, and nature's rose bloom on the fair

374 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

cheeks of the early Wapello girl supplied the place of powder, paint and other cosmetics of the present time. But they 'got there just the same.' Amusements consisted of cards, checkers, playing games and selling pawns. Nothing was known about the two-step, waltz, and parents were not so much 'on nettles' as nowadays lest their boys should come home drunk or get mixed up in all sorts of trouble, as is the case now. Operatic singing was unheard of in the good old times. In fact, there was but one really good singer in town and that was John Isett. He could sing, though, and when John sa.ng his favorite song, 'The Star Spangled Banner,' you could hear a pin drop. It might have been that the air and words seemed more expressive than now ; anyway, John Isett could sing it to perfection. And later on, I recall to mind a song rendered in public, at the court- house, by Miss Lou and Albert Townsend. It was that sweet old melody of 'Annie Laurie.' She sang the words and Albert played the flute. If I remember cor- rectly, they were paid $25 for their part in the program. It was good, though. In those early times a good entertainment and literary could be arranged en very short notice, because home talent was plenty and very good. Thomas Ives was always put on the program as critic and he was a good one. Tom, as he was called by everybody, was naturally very bright and witty, and when he would make his appearance he would 'bow and scrape' with all the dignity of a field marshal of France. The entertainments were good in those days, and if the little old 2x4 town hall, which used to be upstairs over the building just south of Mr. Levy's tin shop, could re-echo its experience, an interesting mingling of laughter and tears — results from the sublime and the ridiculous — would be the result. These entertainments were always good because such men as Tom Ives, Judge Springer, 'Lawyer Tom' (Edward Thomas), B. F. Wright, J. S. Hurley, John Hale, Dr. Bell, D. N. Sprague. all of whom 'knew a thing or two,' and an auxiliary of lesser lights contributed to the amusement of the public. Judge Springer and Edward Thomas were the first lawyers to locate here, occupying the building used as a residence by the late George Plitt. These gentlemen came from Maine. Later on Samuel Townsend conducted the office of county treasurer in the same building. . .

"Few people are aware of the fact that on the present site where the high school now stands, a building almost as large was erected for a hotel. It was a fine brick structure. This was during the '50s, when Wapello was flush with the prospect of a railroad — the old Air Line which was surveyed through to Omaha. The building now used as a jail was originally erected for a bank, as it was the intention to build business houses on all four sides facing the public square or court house. The hotel gradually crumbled away and all of the cut stone used in the erection of Myron Hall was once a part of the big house which was to have been the pride of the town. . . .

"I saw some time since an article in the Republican stating that the first paper ever published in Wapello was conducted by James Noffsinger. Mr. Noffsinger was an uncle of my mother, and on the lot where now stands the residence of E. R. Tillman was where Wapello's first paper was established. Afterward the paper was published in a story and a half building on the lot now occupied by Aner Nearhood. John Jenkins, J. D. Barr and Aaron Melick, all nephews of Mr. Noffsinger, were the help employed, and that man Melick was given up to be the most homely young man who ever came to the town. But he was as sharp

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 375

as tacks and a great favorite here during the pioneer days of Wapello's early his- tory. . . .

"It is seldom in a town as old as Wapello, which was laid out in 1839, and is therefore sixty-six years old, that a citizen is still living who was here before that event occurred, yet such is the case, and in our esteemed friend, Mrs. Jane C. Yanloon, we have a living witness to that memorable event. She was then a little girl, and was on the ground ; in fact, child like, she followed the surveyor and watched him set his chains which marked off and platted a little piece of ground a trifle over a half mile in width, north and south, extending from Airs. Wonnell's store down to W. C. Herrick's residence. The first rock planted for the commencement of the survey was at the northeast corner of the old Barr homestead in South Wapello. Mrs. Vanloon has been a constant resident of Wapello ever since her childhood days, when she witnessed the event of the lay- ing out of the town from the virgin prairie soil, which formed a nucleus around which development and expansion has blossomed into a city of beautiful homes, fine churches and business enterprises. She has witnessed, no doubt with interest, the superseding of the log hut by the cozy, comfortable, modern home — the old straw shed give way to the warm, commodious barn — the vast prairie converted into the cultivated field — steel structures span the water ways, and last, thougn not least, the iron bound pathway of the railway, monopolize the business of the old stage coach. The change from the primitive to the developed state, which Mrs. Vanloon has witnesed in the past sixty-six years, no doubt contains memo- ries over which she loves to linger, and which, if itemized as they occurred, would make a volume of interesting events. . . .

"In looking about town for old landmarks I find that very few of the old frame buildings of early times now remain. The oldest frame building perhaps in town yet in its original state is the dwelling house owned by Frank Gore and situated immediately south of the Presbyterian church. This building was erected by Fletcher Barr early in the '40s, the lumber in it being cut from the heavy tim- ber north of town, and when he died, in 1850, the place was purchased by Sheriff A. M. Taylor. It is surely an old landmark and was erected fully sixty years ago. The old Wells property, now owned and occupied by Henry Westeman, is another old-timer, having been built by Levi Chase in the early '50s during the time when the old Air Line railroad was being graded through and beyond this place. The lumber from which it was built was cut and sawed at Herman, Mis- souri, and shipped to Wapello by water. There are many other very old build- ings here, but most of them have been remodeled and therefore lost their origi- nality as well as interest. The oldest brick building in town is the one occupied by T. C. Murphy as a stable. This building was erected by N. J. and C. M. Ives in 1840 and was used originally as the court house of Louisa county. After the present court house was erected the old brick was used as a public school build- ing. Besides having the distinction of having been the seat of justice, the seat of education and the seat of early religious gatherings, this old historic landmark, yet in an excellent state of preservation, is without doubt the oldest building in Louisa county and perhaps in the state of Iowa. There were lively times through- out the county in 1839, for the reason that a county seat contest between Wapello and Fredonia was in progress, resulting in favor of Wapello. The present court

376 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

house was first occupied as a seat of justice in 1854 and on the ground upon which it now stands prior to 1851, an old sawmill was operated. . . .

"Not long since 1 heard an argument in regard to how far west the old Air Line railroad was surveyed, and as my father was a member of the surveying corps, I am in a poistion to state positively that while the destination was Fre- mont. Nebraska, the line was only surveyed to the west bank of the Missouri and stones were planted in Nebraska, somewhere near where Omaha now stands. It so happened that the survey run through an Indian burying ground, and a half-breed trader by the name of Sarpee, on the Nebraska side, incited the Indians to such an extent that General Curtis, who did the surveying, thought it advis- able for the safety of the party, to return to Iowa as soon as possible and this course was followed as soon as darkness came. At that time Omaha and Council Bluffs were not in existence. . . . My father and Sam Curtis, a son of the General, acted as chainmen, and tramped clear across the state of Iowa, fording rivers, wading creeks, in the burning hot sun and through the woods, occasionally striking a settler on the route, but more often going for days and weeks over ground where perhaps human foot had trod before, but where the hardy settler had not, as yet, cast his lot. The trip was full of interesting events from start to finish, some of which I may perhaps at another time relate. Time has worked a wondrous change here in Wapello, especially in the topographical features. I am now writing in a house — my home — sitting high and dry, where less than twenty- five years ago, when a boy, 1 skated over acres of water standing the year around and known as the old Goose Pond. The old pond was here when the first in- habitant came and what caused it to disappear so suddenly and permanently is one of the freaks of nature. Drainage, no doubt, has been a potent factor in the disappearance of many of the ague holes which in times gone by were-numerous here, but many of them have apparently 'dried up,' as the saying goes, without the assistance of drainage, as is the case in the large pond which used to stretch along the edge of the bluff at the foot of Harrison hill. All rivers, it is claimed, in this country, are gradually moving west. Time has fully demonstrated this fact in our own Iowa river, which in the past fifty years has moved west at least 100 feet, some claim a great deal more. . . .

"I have before me a copy of the Wapello Intelligencer and in comparison with the up-to-date, neat and newsy paper of today, it presents rather an antiquated appearance. Looking backward and summing the matter up. 1 find that the career 1 if newspapers in Wapello has been varied and eventful. Beginning with 1850, when the publication of the Louisa County Times was begun by James Noff- singer, down to the present time. Wapello has, at various times, possessed nine different newspapers. The town has had on three occasions, three newspapers pub- lished at one time. Such was the case when A. E. Caffey, of Alabama, published the Wapello Times, which was afterward taken to Columbus Junction and is now the Columbus Gazette. Again, when Julius Taylor, for a period of three months, conducted the Union Democrat, and on the last occasion when Clint. L. Price pub- lished the Louisa County Democrat, the Record and Republican were also pub- lished here at the same time. The Republican was formerly the Burris City Commercial, published on the west bank of the Mississippi river, a short distance northeast of Toolesboro. It was moved to Wapello in 1857 by Jacob Mintun and sold to J. D. Barr soon after. There was also, at various times, a spicy little

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY ;;77

paper, The Rustler, published by the late Jay Hale. It was diminutive in size, but the potency of its locals and general reading matter made it, while it was in existence, a well patronized and general favorite. With the exception of the Tribune, J. D. Barr was connected with every republican paper, either as sole or part owner, which has been published in Wapello, covering a period of forty- six years — from 1850 to 1896. . . .

"In early times here the business part of town used to be on Water street or the river bank. It begun a short distance south of the bridge where Uncle Jakie Houtz used to conduct a shoe shop, and extended to the north part of town where John Drake kept a hotel. The present residence of J. 15. McCullough used to stand over on the river bank, and years ago it was occupied by old man Helbig as a grocery and saloon. The late residence of Dr. T. S. Bell was in early times used by Fletcher and J. D. Barr as a grocery. During the early '50s when work was being done on the old Air Line, this little store was a busy place, as Mr. Barr supplied most of the groceries for the graders, all of which were purchased from John H. Gear's wholesale house and hauled overland from Burlington by team. Those were the days of 'wildcat' money and he who was wise would convert his cash into other property as soon as possible, but occasionally, in fact, quite often, great 'Wads' of it would in a day become perfectly worthless. I recollect hearing my father say that one day the Air Liners paid their bills at his store, amounting to about $500. and the next day when the stage coach came in it brought word that the Bridgeport ( Connecticut ) bank had busted. In fact, it was broke days before he received the money from the railroaders, but there was no way then of obtaining information only at intervals, except through the medium of the Star Route Stage Line, and this was not a daily occurrence by any means. In those days the money question was a great bother. Defunct banks and their paper money became so annoying that finally Myron Yanloon secured a 'tester' and it was his custom, as well a/ of others, to examine paper money before ac- cepting same in payment of bills. But nowadays how nice and secure our money system is. We never question the validity of what we receive, knowing that Uncle Sam's gold basis scheme is a perfect safeguard against loss or fraud. . . .

''I have often heard the younger people of the town, most of whom were born since the Wapello bridge was built, inquire where the old ferry was located. It was at the end of Yan Buren street just north of Porter Peters' livery barn. The old ferry became a thing of the past on the 6th day of May, 1874, when the event of accepting the bridge was celebrated in Wapello. In the morning the bridge was tested by hauling over it several loads of sand and at two o'clock in the after- noon the celebration was held at the west end of the bridge. The Wapello Silver Cornet Band enlivened the occasion with excellent music, and speeches and songs composed the program. B. F. Wright was the principal speaker of the day and remarks were also made by L. W. Myers and other prominent citizens. At the close of the ceremonies a grand bridge promenade took place, after which the public avenue of the bridge was declared open for all public uses. This occasion was the death knell of the old ferry which had been in operation here since 1857, a period of thirty-six years. On special occasions, such as the county fair and the Fourth of July, the old ferry did a 'land office' business. I have seen a string of teams, as close as they could stand, awaiting their turn to cross the river, reaching from the river bank to Second street. It was slow business and hard

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work to conduct a ferry, as the propelling over and back was done with long poles. Every trace of the old landing is now obliterated and the ferry and its career, around which cling many pleasant memories, has been for thirty-three years a thing of the past. William Milligan conducted the first ferry, beginning in 1837, and Tohn Carpenter, father of Mrs. Vick Nyemaster, operated the last boat. . . .

"Two other methods of money making, both relics of the past days here, were making shingles and coopering. Uncle Billy Perkins, at his location on Water street, in South Wapello, made thousands of split shingles, some of which today are still in evidence as the virgin roof of a few of the old-time buildings. And the art of making a barrel or keg was engaged in here for years by Herbert Thorndyke, for in those days when Uncle Jim Pemble and Amazi White were making so much good molasses, people required numerous kegs and barrels to store it in. That good, old-time thick molasses! But, then, that was long ago, before the art of adulterating with glucose and corn syrup was invented.

"The history of the Wapello schools, covering a period of sixty-five years, from 1840 to 1905, has been tranquil and uneventful. The first school was opened here, as stated above, in 1840 by John Gilliland, a surveyor. It was not a public school. Pupils were required to pay tuition and it was well patronized. Mr. < .illiland opened his school in a log cabin, his home, situated on the lot just north of Frank Pemble's residence and it was there where many of the late old settlers, and some few who are yet living, were taught their first lessons. Later on school was conducted in a building located on the lot where Ed Joy now has his tin shop. The old brick court house was also used for school purposes and in 1854 the brick building now owned and occupied by Gus Tiemeyer as a residence, was completed and opened for educational purposes. . . .

"From the perusal of an old paper published back in the '70s, I am of the opinion that some 'booze' was consumed here in old Wapello about that time. I hail no idea that the people hereabouts were so sacramental or sickly, culinary and mechanical, until I read the auditor's report that during one year 1,510 gal- lons of intoxicating liquors were sold by the Wapello drug stores. There were also running at that time five saloons, to say nothing about the sale of Hostetter's Hitters. That was about the time when 'Smoky Row' was enjoying its palmy days, and Wapello had a reputation of anything else but sobriety. 'Smoky Row' at that time had four saloons, the other one being on Second street. There is now but one building standing on the old 'Row' and this is owned by Frank Mottet. The rest were destroyed by fire. On the old 'Row' I witnessed one day, in broad daylight, a negro break in and rob William Henry Dunn's butcher shop, and on the same corner a little later witnessed the shooting of Gus Myers. Then a temperance crusade 'struck' the town and things quieted down. To observe the serene aspect of the old street today would lead one. not acquainted with its previous record, to doubt its former breezy, brawly career. . . .

"In reading an old paper recently, we noticed an advertisement of the Grand- view Academy. This place of learning, now used as a public-school building in that town, used to be quite a center of education. Years ago students from all parts of the county attended this popular institution of learning and its fame at one time promised to reach the proportions of a national reputation. But the management of the institution became faulty and the academy, as far as out-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 379

side attendance was concerned, dropped, and finally went where the woodbine twineth. In the same paper we read an item relative to Christopher Shuck and Major Jacob Rinearson. Mr. Rinearson was one of the pioneer settlers here, while Christopher Shuck and wife bore the honorable distinction of being the first permanent white settlers of Louisa county, casting their lot over in Jefferson township, near Toolesboro, perhaps as early as 1830, if not before. Things became 'too tame' here for Mr. Shuck and he emigrated to Oregon in 185 1. Mr. Rinearson also went to Oregon. Another interesting item in the old paper was to the effect that B. H. Druse had begun to make oat- meal at the old water wheel mill in the north part of town. . . .

"I remember the night well when the first passenger train passed through Wapello over the then 'brand new' B. C. R. & M. railway. I remember that John Bird's big brick house, which used to stand on the ground west of P. Rich- ard's dwelling, was illuminated from cellar to garret in honor of the event. I, myself, was looking out of the haymow window of our barn, now used by Frank Gore as a carpenter shop, for the reason that the grass between town and the track was too tall for one to get a good view of the train while standing on the ground, and especially me, for I was scarcely nine years old. In those days the road was called the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota, substituting after- ward the word Northern for Alinnesota. And the fact of that simple change in names made void and uncollectible, quite a lot of railroad bonds held by Wapello people, who did not protest at the time or present their bonds for payment. When it first begun operations through here, two of the passenger engines were named after John Bird and J. S. Hurley. Their names were stamped in bronzed letters on the name plate just below the cab windows. In those days and for years after, all engines in the west burned wood instead of coal. All stations along the line had a woodyard and the tenders were filled as the trains went through. Windmill watering tanks were not in use then and water was pumped by hand. A box car did service as a depot for quite a while. In fact, it was1 some time before everything was properly adjusted and the road running smoothly.

"It may be of interest to people here to know that the first frame house ever built in Wapello, 1835, was erected by Uncle Billy Milligan, as he was called, on the lot now owned by Mrs. Ben Weston. The old house was remodeled some years ago into a more modern design of architecture. This important fact is well worth remembering, also the fact that the first religious meeting ever held in Wapello was conducted in John Drake's barn. It was held by the Baptists in 1839. .

"Wapello is virtually the home and starting point of two important pieces of farm machinery — the stalk cutter and corn planter. Years ago J. B. Ryder invented the corn planter here in town, and when J. S. Andrews came here, being interested in the McCormick mower, he tried to persuade Ryder to go with him to Chicago, where he would insure him at least $6,000 for his planter, also a royalty. But Ryder instead went prowling around Brown's implement works at Galesburg, Illinois, with his planter ideas, and not long after, the Brown corn planter appeared on the market. Ryder 'lost out' completely, as his planter was not patented and another took advantage of what Ryder had shown him. As to the cutter. Ryder bought the right from a traveler who chanced through here

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and was stopping at the old Ives Hotel. He induced L. P. Wells and J. D. Barr to join him in the enterprise, but being naturally of a stubborn nature and ad- dicted to some bad habits, a general fuss soon ensued between the three partners and the cutter, like the planter, remained in obscurity.

"Looking back in times past it must be acknowledged that Wapello has been the home of several fine industries. There was the pork-packing establishments of Isett Brothers and Mark Davison, the big distillery, the iron foundry and the four-story woolen mill factory of Johan & Winter. There undoubtedly is a greater volume of business done here now than in past years, but it is limited to a few concerns. The variety and the business of former times was not so limited, and being of a different nature, was naturally better fur the town and those who depend on manual labor as a means of support. . . .

"The making of illicit whiskey, commonly known as 'moonshining' is ex- tensively carried on in Kentucky, North Carolina, West Virginia and other southern states, but that 'moonshine' whiskey was ever produced in Wapello would hardly seem probable, yet it has been and when Rollins was here in the distillery business, he once shipped a boat load of barrels filled with something marked 'vinegar,' consigned to parties in Chicago. The boat was loaded here in Wapello and started for Burlington. About this time William Henry Dunn happened to have a fine horse for sale and rode down to Burlington the same day the boat left the Wapello levee. He was about the streets of Burlington of- fering his horse for sale. Rollins saw him and suspecting That Dunn might be 'putting up a job' on his 'vinegar' kept an eye on him. Anyway, it so happened that just before the boat arrived, a dispatch was received by the chief of police describing a man who it was said had stolen a horse. Dunn's appearance, dress and horse perfectly answered the description and he was locked up in the Bur- lington jail over night. By that time Rollins' 'vinegar' was no longer in Bur- lington and it was ascertained that an innocent man had been 'jugged' and Dunn was turned loose. Later on Tom Pickering also shipped a load of 'vinegar' from Wapello and it happened to get caught in a railroad wreck in Illinois and was destroyed. Tom of course received pay for his 'vinegar' but his 'moon- shine' deal busted the Wapello distillery. There were some pretty smooth 'ducks' connected with the old distillery here but their own sharp practice finally sent them to the wall. While it was in operation, the old distillery furnished a splendid corn market for the town and did a good paying business.

"In speaking of negroes reminds me that Henry Polite was the first perma- nent negro resident of Wapello. He was captured by the Second Iowa Cavalry in Mississippi, and after the war located in this county and finally opened a barber shop in Wapello. Henry made a trip to his old southern home a few years later, and one night while down there was visited by the 'Ku-Klux.' When he went si mth he was attired like a gentleman — Prince Albeit coat, white vest, gray trousers and silk hat. The next seen of him, he was footing it up from Burlington and was a sorry sight to see. He had parted with his gentlemanly wearing apparel during the 'Ku-Klux mix-up' and came back here wearing an old blue army overcoat, an old white hat, no vest and one boot and one shoe. They got his money down there and he told me that they got three other 'nig- gers' that night. . . . He escaped, he said, by going through a window which he did not stop to raise.

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"I have been thinking of some of the old-timers, among whom was Mack "Watson. Uncle Mack was a tailor by trade, an Irishman by birth, and a very nervy, practical joker. Once there was a steamboat landed here which had con- siderable trouble coming up the Iowa and the captain concluded to engage the services of a pilot for the return trip, so .Mack offered his services to show the skipper all the sand bars between here and the Mississippi river. Down the river a short distance the boat struck a bar and Mack sung out that this was such and such a bar. The process was repeated several times, each time Mack calling the name of the bar until finally the skipper told Watson he did not pay him $25 in advance to run them on every sand bar in the river, but wanted a man to keep them off the bars. Mack allowed that he had agreed to show them all the bars in the river and he guessed that he had fulfilled his contract. The captain thought so too, lowered a boat, put Mack ashore and he walked back to town. On another occasion when they 'got at cross questions' a bully proposed to fight Watson, and noting the difference in size between himself and his an- tagonist, he excused himself, saying he would be back shortly, and disappeared. When he came back he had removed his upper garments and was covered with a thick coat of grease and soft soap, even to his hair, but the fellow backed down when he beheld Mack, saying that he had not agreed to fight a hog. . . .

"Mrs. Jane C. Yanloon is the oldest citizen in Wapello, that is, she has re- sided here longer than any one else. She was a very little girl when her father crossed the Mississippi river and settled here sixty-nine years ago. Her father came here as an Indian trader, swopping blankets, ammunition and other neces- sary articles and trinkets to Chief Wapello's band, and in the course of time he accumulated considerable property in this vicinity. The country hereabouts was indeed wild when she first visited the land on which the old town was after- ward laid out. Three log cabins were then scattered at different places on the present town site, and greasy, Indian wigwams were numerous and became a common sight. Wild grass, ram-rod hay, rushes, swamp and water lilies cov- ered the ground and narrow Indian trails wound their way in and out through the vast prairies and heavy timber. Indian canoes played up and down the river as they came and went on their hunting and fishing expeditions. No wells were in use then and water was carried from the springs at the north part of town. . . ."

THE FIRST LOUISA COUNTY HOMICIDE

( Contributed )

The first homicide in Louisa county was the killing of George Stump, better known as Nevill, this being the name of his stepfather.

This tragedy occurred in the spring of 1850. The Nevill family, which in- cluded several sons, half brothers of George, who were grown to manhood, and Wm. Franklin, his slayer lived in the town of Toolesboro. There was enmity between the two families. How it originated was never clearly shown. One clay in the spring of 1850, Stump and Franklin came together on the street and Stump, who was a big. strong man, attacked Franklin, who was much inferior to him both in size and strength, and gave him a cruel beating, kicking and battering him in a shameful manner. Stump and his brother, Mike Nevill, at once decamped across the river into Illinois.

382 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

Several weeks elapsed, during which time Franklin was nursing his wounds and his wrath. After a short ahsence the Nevills returned, calling at the house of a man by the name of Philips, said to be a relative of the Nevills. The house occupied by Philips stood where Mrs. G. H. Mosier now lives. Most of the people then living on the hill in Toolesboro obtained their water from a well located at the rear of a brick building belonging to Wm. L. Toole. The lower story was at this time used as a store room in which John Bradley was clerking, the upper rooms being occupied by Hooker Trask and family. On coming into the house of Philips, Stump complained of hunger and Mrs. Philips told him to bring some water and she would prepare him some dinner. Taking the bucket he went to the well before mentioned and was in the act of drawing the water from the well with a windlass when Franklin, who had warning of his coming and was concealed behind an out building near the well, with an Allen revolver, came around the corner of the house and opened fire on him from a distance of about ten feet, the first shot taking effect in Stump's face. Franklin advanced, firing one shot after another as fast as his weapon would revolve. Stump dropped his bucket and fled in terror, first running towards Susan Trask, who was hanging out clothes in the yard. Terrified, she fled to the house and Stump then made for the board fence that surrounded the grounds. Against this he fell, knocking off the top board, followed by the enraged Franklin, who, having emptied his revolver, grasped him by the hair and began pounding him on the head with the empty weapon. Tearing himself loose, Stump staggered bleeding up the street, and was met by his brother Mike, who assisted him to the Nevill home, where after lingering a couple of weeks he died.

The writer of this sketch, at that time a boy of ten years, was a witness both of the attack on Franklin and the killing of Stump.

Immediately after the shooting and prior to the death of Stump, a warrant was issued by Isaac Parsons, justice of the peace, on an affidavit of James Keever, charging Franklin with "assault with intent to kill." This warrant was placed in the hands of Justice Warn of Wapello on whose docket is found the follow- ing entry : "April 2nd, 1850. A warrant being brot to me, Samuel Warn, a justice of the peace of the township of Wapello, in Louisa county, by John H. Haskinson, constable of said township, which warrant was issued by Isaac Parsons, of Jef- ferson township, in said Louisa county, which warrant was issed on the affidavit of James Keever as follows :" Here follows the wording of the warrant. The judgment of Justice Warn reads as follows: "April 2nd, 1850. Said Franklin was brot before me by the Officer Haskinson, constable of Wapello township, in said county, for examination, and Springer and Bird Attys for defendant, moved to quash the warrant for these defects 1 for the reason of their being no such class of acts in the state of Iowa, and 2 other defects. It is therefore considired that the prisoner be discharged and the county pay the costs of the suit taxed at $4.33 cts."

Being acquitted on a technicality it seems Franklin now demanded a trial on the charge of assault, so on the following page of the docket we find the following entry: "Now on this 2nd day of April, A. D. 1850, came the Deft and gave himself up to the custody of the law for an assault on George Stump, and asked that the cause might be investigated. Francis Springer and John Bird recognized themselves for his appearance on Saturday, the 6th inst."

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 383

The result of this trial is given in the judgment of the court as follows: "April 6th, 1850, the day and hour for the above examination having arrived and one hour having relapsed after the return hour the parties being called, the criminal appeared by his Attys, Bird and Springer, and went into the examination, and after hearing the testimony in behalf of the State of Iowa, said witnesses being 24 in number, and it not appearing to be testimony enough to bind said William Franklin over to court, It is therefore considered that the said Franklin be discharged and that the county of Louisa pay the costs of this investigation taxed at $35.02%. This April 6th, 1850.

"Samuel Warn, "Justice of the Peace."

So ended this celebrated case, the list of witnesses was nearly a poll of the male population of Jefferson township with quite a number from Wapello. Stump's reputation as an outlaw and bully largely influenced the result, the gen- eral opinion being that he got only what was coming to him. This proves that in those early days as today, the mills of justice grind coarse or fine according as the gauge is set by public opinion.

One impressive fact in this connection is the cheapness of judicial pro- cedure in those days. Fifty years later a man was stabbed to death on the streets of Wapello in the presence of half a dozen witnesses, dying almost im- mediately. The murderer did not deny, but boasted of the deed, and expressed regret that he was unable to add others to the list. And yet a coroner's jury was empaneled to ascertain how and why the man died, a lawyer was appointed to defend him, and all to prove a fact that everybody knew and nobody denied. This travesty on justice cost the county some six or eight hundred dollars to convict (?) a man who denied nothing and plead guilty to every charge.

EARLY DAYS IN IOWA

In the winter of 1847, the writer, then a boy of seven, first made his advent to Louisa county. My father and mother and six children immigrating from Kentucky by steam boat, landed at Burlington, Iowa. In a log cabin about three miles north of this city, belonging to a relative of ours, we prepared to spend our first winter in Iowa. Early in December the snow had reached the depth of two feet, and being on the public road leading north from Burlington, which was the principal source of supplies for all of the country within a radius of 75 to 100 miles, we were frequently called upon to shelter belated settlers on their way to and from market. To have refused an application for shelter would, according to the laws of hospitality in our native state, and even here in those pioneer days, have been considered an unpardonable sin. On one of these occa- sions we entertained some settlers from Louisa county, among whom was Ezra Denison, who, upon learning that my father was a house carpenter, at once began negotiating with him to come to this county and finish a brick house which he had erected across the river from Black Hawk, as it was then called, in Eliot township, on what was then known as Tater Island. The result was that Denison sent down sleds, and our worldly effects were transferred to a log cabin on the bank of the Iowa river, where we spent the balance of that winter and the next

384 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

eventful summer. The melting snows of spring brought the annual freshet and the river soon overflowed its banks, and spread over the prairies. Higher and higher came the water, until not to exceed one acre of ground where our cabin stood, was uncovered, occasionally a settler came over in a skiff to see how we fared and to assure us that this particular spot of ground had never been under water; several years later we saw this tradition shattered, but at this time we were not inundated. No one but a pioneer in a rude cabin, open to every breeze of heaven, warmed only by an open fire place, and a roof of clap- boards that let in the drifting snow, a family of eight persons in one such room, can imagine the intense relief of coming spring. And such a spring in beautiful virgin Iowa! Prairie chickens strutted and bellowed on the emerald prairies, water fowl in countless myriads covered the lakes, darkened the air with their wings, and day and night the clamor of their voices could be heard as they rested on the water or winged their way to their nesting places further north. This spring, the writer, a lad of eight years, did his first farming, by dropping corn after an ox team, to illustrate the primitive methods of those early days. The ground was broken or stirred with an ox team and every third furrow the corn was dropped, two or three grains about three feet apart, the next furrow- was turned on the corn. This was all. except one straggling cultivation with a shovel plow. But such was the fertility of this soil that 50 or 60 bushels of ex- cellent corn per acre was produced by these rude methods.

The advent of summer brought with it the twin curses of the Iowa pioneer, viz : mosquitoes and the ague, but this is a subject too unpleasant to contemplate. We fought mosquitoes and shook with the ague. Fortunately the chills generally came on alternate days, so that part of the family could assist the others while their teeth were chattering with the chill, or burning with the fever that fol- lowed. Blessings on the man who invented wire screens; he deserves a memor- ial as enduring as Bunker Hill monument! The following fall we moved across the river in a skiff, to Black Hawk. Here on higher ground and with the coming of cooler weather our health improved. My father and mother were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, my father being a licensed preacher. There being no organization of that body within reach my parents united with the .Methodists. My father being the only resident minister in the neighborhood, he was called upon to officiate at almost all the funerals ami weddings that occurred in that vicinity. I recall one irate father who called upon my father several years after he had married his daughter — who was then the mother of several children — and upbraided him for his dereliction in not having his license renewed in Iowa. "You were not a licensed preacher," said he, "and my daughter is not married, and her children are - — ," but I will not mention the word he used. Put the matter blew over and the children grew up honored members of society without a thought as to their narrow escape from disgrace.

The recreations of those days consisted of horse races, shooting matches, dancing and going to "meetin' ." Most every one went to "meetin' " and nearly every one danced, and shot, and attended horse races. Every winter we had a protracted "meetin" " and the young folks divided their time between this and the dance, often going from church to some nearby house to finish the night with a dance. On one occasion Bro. Wilbur was holding a protracted meeting and was making considerable inroad on the dancing fraternity by converting them. A

LOUISA COUNTY POOR FARM

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 385

reckless fellow by the name of Neal Ruffner started a counter attraction which he called a "protracted dance." This was kept up for some considerable time to the intense disgust of the religious element, Bro. Wilbur declaring that it "was instigated by the Devil for the purpose of holding his own." Our house was always open to the preacher, no matter what his creed. Most of them were good fellows, and their salaries were not large enough to make them proud or stuck-up.

Bro. Wilbur was a good friend to the boys. His form was rotund and his appetite for fried chicken was slightly discouraging to a half dozen hungry children waiting for the second table. Another Methodist minister of whom we have a vivid recollection was Bro. Woodford. He was a Connecticut Yankee, a splendid shot with the rifle, and an enthusiastic fisherman. He taught us how to troll for pickerel, and his method of hunting deer was both new and successful. After the corn began to ripen in the fall, the deer soon began to visit the fields, always at night or early in the evening. It was their habit to enter the field at one particular place, generally where the rail fence was low, and where it was not obstructed by weeds or vines. Bro. Woodford would find this place of ingress, and climbing into a low tree would sit for hours quietly braiding whip lashes — being an expert at this, as he also was in tanning the skins from which they were made — until it became too dark to see the outline of the deer; or if it was moon- light well into the night he waited, and many a fine buck fell before his unerring rifle.

Returning from one of his appointments where he had preached one Sab- bath evening, Bro. Woodford and my father, on reaching our barn yard found the sheep in great excitement, lambs bleating, and all the flock in a panic. Think- ing some "varmint" was attacking the sheep, my father called the dog. a faith- ful old hound, while Bro. Woodford ran to the house and secured his rifle. The hound took the track which led into a woodland nearby, and soon his baying showed the marauder was treed. Reaching the tree they peered into the branches and there was the dark object. One shot from the rifle brought him to the ground, and being unable to tell in the darkness the kind of animal they had bagged, they lugged him to the house and the rays of the tallow dip revealed — a large, black cat, belonging to a neighbor ! Suddenly a thought occurred to Bro. Woodford. "Why Bro. Smith," said he, "do you know that this is Sunday night?" "Well," said he, philosophically, "we better say nothing about this." Now, after half century, both of these good men have gone to their reward, their harmless escapade serves only to awaken the kindly tie that makes the "whole world akin."

In the early days pretty much all the heavy teaming, such as logging, break- ing prairie sod, etc., was done by ox teams, the horses being of a small breed, seldom exceeding 1,200 lbs. in weight. In the spring of '49 was the great hegira across the plains to California. Several teams were fitted out in the vil- lage of Toolesboro ; in one of these outfits was a yoke of oxen purchased from Freeman Shaw ; they were driven across the state to Council Bluffs, which was then considered the western boundary of civilization; there the immigrants formed their trains for mutual help and defense against the Indians. From the Missouri river to the Rocky mountains — according to the accepted tradition of those days — lay the Great American Desert. While camping at Council Bluffs the yoke of cattle bought of Shaw, escaped from their owner, who, after

386 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

spending several days searching for them in that vicinity, proceeded on his way without them ; the following fall, these steers quietly marched up to the feed rack on the Shaw farm, having during the summer traveled entirely across the state of Iowa, guided by their wonderful instinct and love fur home.

The fencing of a farm in the early days of Iowa was a serious problem, the idea of fencing stock in instead of fencing them out. had never occurred to the settler, therefore the first farms were opened in the vicinity of streams, where wood land for cabins, fuel, and fencing was found. How main- carpenters would today be equal to the task of building a house with an axe. an auger and a froe. (The pioneer will recognize the froe as the tool with which he split clapboards to cover his cabin.) All stock ran at large in those days, some animals strayed away ami were never reclaimed by their rightful owner, but he generally aimed to get his "per capita," and was satisfied, as values were quite uniform.

Swine were the favorite domestic animals of those pioneer days, and where access could be had to timbered land or river bottoms, thev throve with but little attention from their owners, except to throw them a little corn through the winter season. As soon as spring opened the brood sows and shoats were left to shift for themselves, and would frequently disappear for months at a time: but when the corn began to harden in the fall, the farmer with a bag of corn on the front of his saddle would ride to their haunts, and after repeated trials would induce some old sow to taste of this almost forgotten luxury; the effect was that the old mammy swine would often beat him home, bringing with her a family of eight or ten thrifty shoats. which she had nurtured during her summer vacation.

A neighbor of ours, who was accused of not being able to distinguish at all times between "mine and thine," at one time, in early spring, turned out a rickety old barrow, which had failed to accumulate sufficient fat to doom him to the pork barrel: in the fall the barrow reappeared and with him some half dozen thrifty shoats. all of which were promptly impounded for winter use. A neighbor who knew that his spring "plant" had consisted of this one emanci- ated barrow, one day intimated to him that his title to the shoats was not good. "Why," said he. innocently, "what do you think that old barrow was doing all summer?"

One of the most extensive hog raisers in the neighborhood was Tames Guest, an honest man, long since gone to his reward, lie lived on the farm now owned by a Mr. Pemble, and his swine ranged all over the bottoms and across the Muscatine slough, and their numbers were almost unlimited. In autumn with a bag of corn, he would go to the bluff overlooking the bottoms, and with a voice as far reaching as a bugle would call — Pee-goo-ee — accented on the "goo." The effect was magical ; as the vermin and the children followed the Pied Piper, so did these swine, big and little, old and young, follow Uncle Jimmy to his barn lot. I have often tried to imitate that call, but without success. As a western teamster said to a passenger who asked him where he learned to swear, "I never learned it; you can't learn it, it's a gift."

To some, perhaps, these incidents may seem frivolous, but to the aged these memories are sweet and precious: and after all. the life of the average man

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 387

and woman is a succession of little events; day after day we meet them, con- quer them, or are overcome by them.

The first great political awakening in this county was in the Fremont and Buchanan campaign in the fall of 1855. A Fremont club was formed at Tooles- boro, and my father was made president of the same. The republicans had a rally and a pole raising, and Judge Springer made an address. We had a brass band from Wapello, and our twenty- foot flag was emblazoned with the alliterate legend, "Free Speech, Free Press, Free Soil, Fremont and Dayton."

Not the least hero of the day, to my boyish eyes was Asher Sillick, who scaled a rope fifty feet to remove the tackle from the hickory pole which we had erected. Not to be outdone, the democrats shortly afterward erected a pole a little taller than ours, and only about one hundred feet away.

Did space permit, what pleasure it would be to speak of the noble men of that one locality who did so much to make the history of this county : fonathan Parsons and his sons. Hannibal and Joseph J. ; Isaac Parsons and Thompson, his son; the Mallorys, Hooks, Trasks, and Tooles ; and coming later, patriots like G. H. Mosier, who laid his little fortune on the altar of his country by feeding soldiers' families while the Government wrestled with its great financial effort to feed and equip an army without a dollar in its treasury.

Most of the pioneer men and women have gone to their reward. They live only in the memory of their children and neighbor's children, and in the love and esteem of those who knew them and honor them. They are not dead.

"To live in the hearts of those we loved is not to die."

[The foregoing article, and the article entitled "The First Louisa County Homicide" were written especially for this work, by James R. Smith, Esq., of Columbus Junction, who has so often entertained old settlers' meetings and soldiers' "campfires."]

THE COUNTY FARM

It is well known that there has been more or less controversy between the doctors of the county and the Board of Supervisors in regard to the payment of bills for medical services rendered to persons unable to pay. It appears that at one time it was the practice to advertise in the newspapers for sealed pro- posals for keeping the paupers of the county, and for medical attendance on them. In February, 1853, at the time Wright Williams was county judge, it is recorded that in pursuance of a notice published in a newspaper called the Louisa County Times, asking for sealed proposals for keeping the paupers of the county in board and clothing, the following bids were received and opened on February 7, 1853 :

Thomas G. Forbes $2.00 per week

E. W. Ellsworth 1 .70 per week

O. Spafford 2.90 per week

Dennis Williams 1.7c per week

The record goes on to show that after examining the above proposals, the physicians of Columbus City and Wapello were requested to put in sealed pro- posals stating the amount for which they would give medical attendance to

388 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

the paupers of the county for one year, from and after said paupers shall have been taken charge of by one of the aforesaid bidders, and on February 12, 1853, tne following bids were opened :

Thomas G. Taylor offers to give medical attendance for one year for $200

John Cleaves for 24

L. R. Burns for 100

John Bell. Jr., for 150

J. M . Robertson for 25

"H, T. Cleaver offers to give medical attendance to the said paupers for one year, and will pay $8.00 for the privilege of the same. It is therefore con- sidered by the County Judge that in consequence of the bid of Dr. Cleaver, together with the bid of Dennis Williams, are the lowest and best bids. It is therefore considered that Dennis Williams be appointed to take charge of the paupers and H. T. Cleaver is hereby appointed physician."

We may note in connection with the account of Dennis Williams, filed in December, 1853, a circumstance which occurred quite often in the early history of the county, and indicates, both, that the county was short of funds, and that the county orders were used as currency. Mr. Williams filed his bill for keep- ing paupers, amounting to $128, and this was paid by eight warrants, seven of them being for $20 each and the cither for $18. These warrants would, of course, pass current with all who had taxes to pay.

Francis Springer became county judge on November 2T,, 1854, and the first hill presented to and allowed by him was one of Dr. H. T. Cleaver for $49.50, for medical attendance on paupers, and for quite awhile thereafter, bills for keeping paupers and for medical attendance upon them, came in, ranging from $5 up to $75. It seems they got too strong for the county judge, because we find that on February 21, 1855. he issued a proclamation, stating that in view of the heavy pauper expenses borne by the people of the county, and with a view of relieving them to some extent, as well as providing a home for the poor where the sick may be cared for and the well made to work, he submitted to the people at the election on the first Monday in April the question of pur- chasing a suitable farm, and estimated the cost at $4,000. The proposition carried and on December 29, 1856, the county court purchased of John Smith, of Mahoning county, Ohio, for this purpose, two hundred acres in sections 2 and 11, and forty acres in section 5, township 74 north, range 3 west, at a cost of $4,000, and soon afterward a contract for erecting a county building was let to B. H. Druse of Wapello, for $2,500, and the building was erected by him.

In Tune. 1895, the Board of Supervisors submitted to the people, to be voted on at the general election on November 5th, 1895, the question of issuing bonds of the county for the sum of $16,000, the money to be used to erect suit- able buildings for the use of the poor, and a hospital for the incurable insane.

The vote on the proposition is: For — 548; against — 1,167.

At the November election, 1899, the Board of Supervisors composed of Isaiah Downs, J. Cal. Duncan and Jacob Lieberknecht. submitted to the people a proposition authorizing the Board to levy a tax "which may produce a sum

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 389

not exceeding $10,000 to be expended in the erection and construction of a suitable fireproof building and improvements on the County Farm, for the proper care of the poor of the county and the incurable insane." This proposition was carried by the close vote of 664 for to 640 against, a great many people not taking the pains to vote on the proposition. The books in the county auditor's office show that the County Improvement Fund tax collected in the years from 1901 to 1904 inclusive, amounted to $18,637.05. However, it seems that about $1,000 or a little over of this amount came originally from the Poor Fund and the County Insane Fund.

The County Farm of Louisa county, together with the building and other improvements is said to be one of the best equipped institutions of the kind 10 be found anywhere in the state.

RIVER BRIDGES

This county has seven wagon bridges over the Iowa river.

The first one was built at Wapello, in 1873 and 1874; it was authorized by supervisors Andrew Gamble, N. M. Letts and P. D. Bailey. It must be noted, to the credit of Gamble and Letts, that this was at a time when the county seat excitement was very great, and that both these men were strong advocates of Columbus Junction.

This bridge was built by D. H. and C. C. Morrison, and its first cost was $13,453.50. Win. G. Allen was the commissioner in charge of its construction. The bridge has been added to since then.

The next bridge was the one over the Iowa river at Fredonia, which was finished in 1878. It cost about $20,000, and was, at the time it was built, said to be the longest wagon bridge in the state. The town of Columbus Junction contributed about $5,000 to it. Cyril Carpenter was the commissioner.

The next bridge was the one at Toddtown, north of Columbus Junction. It was finished July 4, 1879, and cost something less than $15,000. Cyril Carpenter was commissioner.

The next bridge was at Yellow Banks, near Oakville, and the contract for it was let on February 21, 1895. It cost $14,860.40.

The next was the Hogback bridge, north of Wapello, the contract for which was awarded May 3, 1898, at $14,150.

This bridge had been talked of for a great many years, but had been bitterly opposed by some of the leading taxpayers of Grandview township, as well as by many others in the north part of the county. Jacob Lieberknecht, J. Cal. Duncan and Isaiah Downs were the supervisors who authorized it, and they did so on the condition that the petitioners would carry, without interest, $6,000 of bridge warrants from March 1, 1899 to March 1, 1900, and secure the right of way to and from the bridge. On January 8, 1898, D. C. Thomas, on behalf of the petitioners, filed a bond agreeing to comply with the conditions made by the board.

The next bridge was the Hoben bridge. This was ordered on April 3, 1889, the supervisors being Barton Garrett, H. M. Letts and S. F. Small. There was considerable controversy among the people in Union and Oakland townships as to where it should be located. Robert Carson, who had been verv active in

390 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

securing the bridge, wanted it located in section 16-76-5 ; and on May 9, 1889, H. M. Letts was appointed commissioner to "contract for an iron bridge on the Iowa river between Union and Oakland townships in the south half of the north- west quarter of section 16-76-5."

Before Mr. Letts was ready to contract, there was a change in the mem- bership of the board, Thomas Newell succeeding Mr. Garrett, and on January 8, 1890, the engineer was ordered to locate the bridge as near as practicable to McKean's old ferry landing, in section 21-76-5 ; and the bridge was built there that year.

The seventh bridge is in the extreme north end of the county, on the line between Louisa and Johnson counties, and was completed in 191 1, at a cost of $9,000, one-third being paid by this county and the remainder by Johnson county.

SUPERVISOR DISTRICTS

We omitted to give the Supervisor Districts in their proper place, and insert them here. On June 3, 1874. the county was districted, for the purpose of electing three supervisors, according to Chapter 39 of the Acts of the 15th General Assembly.

The First District was composed of the townships of Oakland. Union, Colum- bus City and Elm Grove.

The Second District was composed of the townships of Eliot, Wapello, Morn- ing Sun and Marshall.

The Third District was composed of the townships of Jefferson. Port Louisa, Grandview and Concord.

On June 8, 1876, the county was redistricted, the avowed reason being to make the districts more nearly even in population.

The First District was composed of the townships of Columbus City, Elm Grove and Marshall.

The Second District was composed of the townships of Union, Oakland, Concord. Grandview and Port Louisa.

The Third District was composed of the townships of Eliot, Jefferson. Wapello and Morning Sun.

At that time the first district had a population of 4.013, the second, 3,999, and the third, 4,487. The districts have not been changed since.

FIRST THINGS

First white men to land on Iowa soil, were Marquette and Juliet, in Louisa county.

First white child born in Louisa county was probably Carvalho Killough, son of Thomas D. Killough, born in Port Louisa township in August, 1836. This honor has been claimed for several : first, we believe, for Mrs. John P. Walker, who was born in December, 1836; next it was claimed for "Jack" Mc- Cleary. who was born in October, 1836; then came James Higbee, at one time president of the Old Settlers' Society, who was born in Marshall township in September, 1836. But now. on the authority of Mrs. McDill, it seems quite probable that Carvallm Killough is the very first. It has been claimed that one

BRIDGES OVER IOWA RIVER AT IIOURACK NEAR WArEI.I.O

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HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 391

of William Milligan's boys was born in Eliot township on January 7, 1836. We have not been able to get satisfying information as to this.

The first permanent settler in the county was probably Christopher Shuck, earlj- in 1835.

First land plowed in the county was by David Morgan, for Christopher Shuck, in 1835 in Jefferson township.

First Banking House — kept by Bird, Brown & Reach, in the building now used for a jail.

First Whig convention in Iowa was held at Wapello in 1840.

First Agricultural Society was held in Louisa county.

First County Medical Society was in Louisa county.

First Welsh sermon preached in Iowa was by Rev. David Knowles, on Long creek, west of Columbus City.

First mill in Louisa county was probably put up by Win. Kennedy in Port Louisa township, although the mill of Thomas L. Rose, in section 14, 73, 3, on Honey creek was one of the earliest.

First clerk, Z. C. Inghram.

First sheriff, Samuel Smith.

First court, held by David Irvin, April 22, 1837.

First treasurer, Z. C. Inghram.

First recorder, Z. C. Inghram.

First member Iowa Territorial Council, James M. Clark.

First member Iowa Territorial House, Levi Thornton, Wm. L. Toole.

First postoffice, Black Hawk, May 27, 1837.

First postmaster, Wm. L. Toole.

First county seat. Lower Wapello.

First school taught, in Toolesboro, 1839.

First schoolhouse, built in Toolesboro, 1839 or 1840.

First school teacher. J. W. Ferguson.

First wedding, was of Henry Long and Nancy Layton. Their license was the first issued in the count}", and was issued on June 2, 1837. The marriage is claimed for both Jefferson and Grandview townships ; the return on the license shows that it was solemnized by Wm. Milligan. J. P., but does not say- where. The best opinion is that the marriage was celebrated in Grandview township.

James Erwin, a native of Ireland, was the first person to be naturalized in Louisa county. This was at the June. 1839, term of the district court, — fudge Joseph Williams being the judge.

First resident lawyers, — Francis Springer and E. H. Thomas, settled in Wapello, December 28, 1838.

It is probable that J. W. Brookbank was the first doctor ; he was certainly the first doctor in Wapello.

The following article taken from the Columbus Gazette is worthy of preser- vation, especially because it relates to a part of the county that was first settled. It is written by Mr. O. I. Jamison, and is but one of the many good things which he wrote in his effort to get up a county history:

392 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

A HISTORIC R( i \l>

"Ever drive from Wapello over to Toolesboro? It's not the nicest drive in the world, especially about this time of the year, but it's historic. You strike historic ground the minute almost you get on the river, if it is right to call the river ground. The foundation of the second pier of the bridge was put in for the old Philadelphia, Fort Wayne & Air Line railroad. This was probably as early as 1855. Nearly twenty years after, the foundation was utilized in building the first bridge across the Iowa in Louisa county. This was in 1872, and the bridge was a combination affair, since replaced by steel with one or two additional spans on the east side. Going on east less than a mile you come in view of a part of the old grade of that old road, close to where 'Old Cooper' lived, and Carpenter, who was connected with the Estep-Koontz crowd. Near this point, south of the road is where young Davis was killed twenty-five years ago by a tree falling on him ; while in east of that, where the road turns to the south, John Keever cut Silas Ruby to pieces with his jack knife, one night. Then through the brush a mile and you will crime to the E>rendle homestead. It, at one time, belonged to the Guest estate but was first occupied by Henry Warnstaff. Henry, we think it was. Here it was that Sam Chaney got his wife, who was a daughter of Warnstaff. This was in territorial times. Ik- came sauntering along one fine Sunday morning, with his rifle on his shoulder, as was his habit. She went with him for a walk. Thev went down to the river, got in his boat and floated and paddled down the Iowa to its mouth : down the Mississippi to the Missouri line, where they were married. They rowed themselves back, his rifle furnishing them the most of their food during the entire trip. This was one of the romantic weddings of the time. Just east of the old Warnstaff place was at one time, the Widow Morris' homestead. Mrs. Morris and all her folks were thrifty and a good class of citizens. She had several daughters, among them twins. Henrietta and Marietta. But these folks all had the nerve. We think it was when Perry Keever married one of the Morris girls that a party from Wapello went out to charivari them. They were invited in to take supper, but this did not suit their fastidious tastes. They preferred money to buy a keg or two of beer, or they would roast chickens 1 >n the premises. Mrs. Morris could hear her chickens squall and so could the girls. One of the twins went to the door and told the fellows that when the chickens began to squall again she proposed to begin to shoot. Of course they didn't believe she meant it. but when the next batch of chickens raised a racket, she was as good as her word and the shotgun was brought into play. That ended the banquet for the boys. Her aim had been good, and several carried away in their legs and bodies souvenirs of the occasion. One of them, we think it was Johnny Owens, had the doctors picking bird shot out of him for a day or two. Very fortunately no one was seriously injured. Some of the boys caught a brother of the girl who did the shooting in Wapello once, and pounded him up pretty thoroughly. . . .

"Just about a quarter of a mile east of the Morris home, under the hill, stood a shanty, years ago, beside a spring, now and for many years known as the 'Snake' spring. A lady reader of the Gazette writes of this spring as follows :

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 893

*' 'The Snake spring, situated on the farm now owned by Mrs. Korn, is still called by that name. The woman who killed the snakes was Mrs. Dan Cooper. She and her brother, Will Kominsky, killed seven hundred and eighty-three in one day, so says Mrs. John Wehmeyer, who lives about one mile west of the spring. L. K. Potter says he went to the place one warm day and the snakes began to come out by the hundreds, so it seemed to him. They were all blue racers.' . . .

"Farther down this road about half a mile still stand the remains of a little building, long occupied by 'Daniels,' or McPherson. McPherson was a very peculiar man but his neighbors all liked him for his honesty and accommodating ways. But a man must deal fair with him. It is his son who is now serving a life sentence at Fort Madison for killing the Morning Sun marshal. . . .

"At this place you go up the bluff and the first house you come to was, for a number of years, the home of James Erwin, still frequently referred to as the Widow Lowrey place. She was a daughter and partly inherited the place from her father. . . . Next to this and only a few hundred yards south is the nil Billy Clark place. This family is well worthy of mention, as Mr. Clark and his wife came here in a very early day, in 1835; his family a year later. They came from Lafayette, Indiana, and first settled in Wapello at the place now occupied by M. Carrigan and wife. There were seven children by the first wife. Of these, Mrs. Jane C. Vanloon was the oldest and only daughter. She lives in Wapello. James B. Clark is dead, as is also Samuel. John, William, R. B. and Daniel are still living, or were recently. James and Samuel both served in the Mexican war ; William and Daniel in the War of the Rebellion. John and William live in Oklahoma, R. B. lives in Wisconsin, but for a number of years lived in Minnesota. There was a preacher, Clark, an uncle of William M., who came here in a very early day and helped lay out the original town of Wapello. William Clark entered the old Clark place in Jefferson township when that country was very new. They were great hog raisers, the bottoms in those days being well calculated for that business, but it took a stake and ridered fence, and a good one, to save the crops from their depredations. We hear it hinted that clogs, rifles and shotguns were often pressed into service as supplemental fences. Will- iam Clark was the last of the boys to occupy the farm. He sold it out and went southwest near twenty years ago. Frank, a half brother, still lives in Jefferson, the only one of the family of that name in the county.

Next to the Clark place is the old Willard Mallory home, which is now owned by Mrs. D. D. Parsons ; then the old Judge Coe and Harmon Mallory places, all settled about seventy years ago. George Hook's son George, and young Erwin. son of Mr. and Mrs. Sam T. Erwin, occupy these places. They are two of the very few in Jefferson township who bear the old pioneer names. As you go on, about the first house in the village of Toolesboro was the one built and long occu- pied by William L. Toole, a prominent character in that community long before Iowa became a state. In the yard surrounding this building, in an early day, occurred the first murder, probably, committed in the county after its settlement bv the whites. . . . This puts you on the main business street of Toolesboro, the only village in the township, though there was an 'Iowa Town' up the river above Yellow Banks, platted at one time. But it was only a paper town. This historic road, however, did not always stop at Toolesboro. It was the main, in

394 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

fact, the only thoroughfare leading to the historic Burris City, which flourished about 1855, ^56 and 1857. We are told that hundreds and hundreds of dollars were expended on this road between Toolesboro and Burris City. This must have been a great convenience when it came to moving the empty houses away from the town site after the boom burst and the town became tenantless. All the houses were eventually torn down and taken to other places to be rebuilt. There is not a stone nor timber left of the town, though the old historic road continues in good repair in most places."

SOME EARLY PREACHERS AND LATE CHURCH STATISTICS.

Jt is almost impossible to get anything accurate concerning the early ministers of the county. The main reason, perhaps, is that there were scarcely any of them located here in the early days. Those who came, preached a sermon or two and left ; they left little or no record behind them. Besides, it seems they were quite scarce among the pioneers. Reverend Reuben Gaylord, who was one of the early Congregational preachers in this territory, said in 184 1 : "The farmer, the me- amongst the army of pioneers.

One of the very earliest ministers in Louisa county was James R. Ross, who married Benjamin Stoddard and Sarah Bevins on June 15, 1838. but we do not know whether or not Mr. Ross was located here for any length of time. He was an elder in the Church of God and came here from Kentucky, as will be seen by the paper recorded in the first record book of the county, which is given in chapter seven. The histories of Columbus City and Wapello and Grandview contain references to most of the pioneer preachers of whom we have any record. From the conference records of the Methodist church we get the names of the ministers of that denomination who were stationed at nearby points in early years, and it is probable that some or all of them at different times preached in this county. In 1840 these records show that Isaac S. Stewart was at Burlington, Thomas L. Kirkpatrick at Alt. Pleasant, Joseph L. Kirkpatrick at Crawfordsville, and Xathan Jewett at Bloomington (Muscatine) ; and that in 1841 Rev. Stewart was at Burlington. Daniel C. Cartwright and Moses F. Shinn were at Mt. Pleas- ant, John llayden at Crawfordsville, and Joseph L. Kirkpatrick at Bloomington. Jn 1842 Joseph L. Kirkpatrick was at Grandview and John Hayden at Craw- fordsville. In 1843 Micajah Reeder was at Crawfordsville, Joseph L. Kirkpatrick at Yellow Springs, and Luther McVay at Grandview. In 1844 Reeder and Kirk- patrick had the same stations as in 1843, and Laban Case was at Grandview. In [845 Robert Rice was at Wapello, Michael See at Yellow Springs, and Sidney Wood at Grandview. In 1846 Robert Rice was at Crawfordsville, and John H. Dennis at Grandview. The others, so far as we have any record of them, will lie found in the history of the different localities. Another early preacher was George M. Hinkle. who had a ferry on the Iowa river a few miles north of Wa- pello. Another was Hezekiah Johnson, who performed a number of marriage ceremonies in the early days here. Others, some of whose names appear else- where in this work, were Rev. Fisk, a Presbyterian minister and school teacher; Solomon Cowles, Hiram Smith. George C. Vincent, Charles Burnham. Jackson Duff, Dan W. Ellidge, L. B. Dennis, F. R. S. Byrd, Josiah Yertrees, John Holmes, Alexander Blaikie. Elijah Lathrop. Then there was Jeremiah Smith, father of

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 395

James R. Smith. Another was E. B. Tripp, better known as Benjamin Tripp, who afterwards went west and became a Mormon elder, attaining very high rank in the church.

At a somewhat later period Rev. G. X. Power, brother of Judge J. C. Power of Burlington, was stationed at Toolesboro for a while.

In this connection it may be of interest to give the statistics of the census of Louisa county taken in 1905, in regard to the religious belief of those over ten years of age: Advent, 14; Baptists, 151; Catholic, 233; Christadelphians, 2; Christians, 278; Christian Science, 2: Church of God, 159; Congregational, 185; Disciples of Christ, 16; Dunkard, 11 ; Episcopal, 21 ; Evangelical, 136; Friend, 5; Holiness, 15; Jewish, 1; Latter Day Saints, 1; Liberal, 2: Lutheran, 71; Menonites, 3; Methodists, 1,761; Orthodox, 1; Plymouth Brethren, 2; Presby- terians, 1,272; Protestant, 54; Reformed, 137; Salvation Army, 4; Spiritualist, 1 1 ; Unitarian, 1 ; United Brethren, 282 : Universalist, 10. There were 7,793 for whom no returns were made.

The following church statistics for Louisa county are taken from the census of 1905 :

NUMBER OF CONGREGATIONS

Catholic, 1 ; Christian, 2 ; Congregational, 2 ; Free Methodist, 1 ; Methodist (Episcopal), 11; Presbyterian. 5: United Brethren, 2; United Presbyterian, 2. Total, 26.

NUMBER OF CHURCHES

Catholic. 1 ; Christian, 2 ; Congregational, 2 ; Free Methodist, 1 ; Methodist (Episcopal), 11: Presbyterian, 5; United Brethren, 2: United Presbyterian, 2. Total, 26.

VALUE

Catholic, $1,000; Christian, $11,000; Congregational, $3,000; Free Methodist, $800; Methodist (Episcopal). $33,000: Presbyterian, $28,700; United Brethren, $6,300; United Presbyterian, $15,000. Total, $98,800.

SEATING CAPACITY

Catholic 150; Christian, 850; Congregational, 360; Free Methodist, 250; Meth- odist (Episcopal), 3.600; Presbyterian, 1,590: United Brethren, 800: United Presbyterian. 760. Total. 8.360.

NUMBER OF MEMBERS

Catholic, 60; Christian. 175; Congregational, 145: Free Methodist. 29: Meth- odist (Episcopal), 1.070; Presbyterian, 550; United Brethren. 213; United Pres- byterian, t,^. Total, 2,575. ■

NUMBER OF SUNDAY SCHOOL SCHOLARS

Catholic, 10; Christian, 70; Congregational, 155; Free Methodist, 30; Meth- odist (Episcopal), 850; Presbyterian, 440; United Brethren, 184; United Presby- terian, 195. Total. 1,934-

396 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

NUMBER OF PARSONAGE.

Congregational. 2; Free .Methodist, 1 ; Methodist ( Episcopal), 5; Presbyterian, 2; United Brethren, 2; United Presbyterian. 2. Total, 14.

VALUE OF PARSONAGES.

Congregational, $2,200; Free Methodist, $600; Methodist (Episcopal), $7,900; Presbyterian, $3,300; United Brethren, $2,600; United Presbyterian, $3,800. Total, $20,400.

VALUE OF CHURCH AND PARSONAGE.

Catholic, $1,000; Christian. $11,000; Congregational, $5,200; Free Methodist, $1,400; Methodist (Episcopal), $40,900; Presbyterian, $32,000; United Brethren, $8,900; United Presbyterian, $18,800. Total, $119,200.

SCHOOLS.

Next to rinding out something definite about the early ministers and their meetings, the most difficult problem we have met is to get satisfactory informa- tion concerning the early schools and school teachers. It is probable that John VV. Ferguson taught the first school in the county, in Toolesboro, and there also was probably erected the first schoolhouse in the count)'. Professor Macy in discussing "Institutional beginnings," expresses the opinion that the public school system in this state was not really in operation until about 1855. This is a very interesting subject and one that ought to be near to the hearts of all who are interested in the general welfare, ami we have therefore thought 11 best to give considerable attention to it.

The first superintendent of public instruction was in the territorial days, the office being filled by William Reynolds, and his first report is found in the appen- dix to the journal of the council of the fourth legislative assembly. According to that report, Des Moines county then had eight of its nine townships organized for school purposes, and seven of them had elected school inspectors, but none had made a report to the superintendent. It is stated, however, that there were several good schools in Des Moines county, which were liberally supported. Burlington alone had seven schools, one in which the higher branches of English education were taught and another devoted to the education of young ladies.

Of the thirteen townships in Lee county, four had reported. These four had been divided into school districts, most of which appeared to have been organized and were acting under the law. Denmark township had five districts, and it is of interest to know that district Nb. i had forty-five persons of school age and had voted to have four months of school in the winter and three in the summer, and had levied a tax of $103.21, $90 of which was for the support of a school and the balance for a library. We quote what the report says about Louisa county: "In Louisa county the townships have organized and there are several organized dis- tricts; some acting under the law, I am informed, reported to the clerk of the court who, not having reported to this office, I can only speak from personal ob- servation of the schools. There have been several taught in the county during the past summer— some very good— and there are several in operation this win-

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 397

ter. There appears no want of zeal. Want of schoolhouses and teachers, and the scattered situation of the inhabitants, pleads excuse."

We have made diligent search for the reports referred to by Superintendent Reynolds, both among the county archives and the state archives, but can find none of them. The earliest paper we have found is dated October 18, 1844, signed by John Gilliland, chairman of the board of inspectors for Wapello township, and is directed to the clerk of the district court, and states that the township has been divided into four school districts and that the board of directors of District No. 1 had reported as follows: "That the whole number of persons between the ages of five and twenty-one years in said district is 114. There has been no school taught during the time the district has been organized, under the cognizance of such directors, consequently no report of any teacher." The directors of District No. 1 also report that they had received no money for any purpose or from any source. Mr. Gilliland states that no report had been filed with the township clerk from any of the other districts in Wapello township.

We find another paper of the date October 19, 1845, signed by Mr. Gilliland. being a report similar to the last, in which he states the number of school dis- tricts in the township to be four and that only one had been organized, being District No. 1, and that the whole number of scholars between five and twenty- one were eighty-six, number attending school seventy-four, time school had been taught nine months, and that $100 had been raised in the district for the purpose of building a schoolhouse. The books used in the school were McGuffey's first. second, third and fourth readers. Smith & Kirkham's grammar and "clivers other books."

Under date of February 27, 1847, James Helverson, township clerk, reports for Florence township that the whole township had been organized into Districts Nos. 1. 3. 5, 6, 7 and 9. This report gives the names of the officers as follows :

Xo. 1 — David Donaldson, moderator; William H. Creighton, director; Frank S. Burt, assessor.

Xo. 3 — David Craig, moderator; Samuel Smith, director; William McClure, assessor.

Xo. 5 — Garrett B. Garrison, moderator; Merit Jamison, director; Joseph Ogle, assessor.

Xo. 6 — John Davenport, director ; other officers not reported.

No. 7 — Charles Hunt, moderator; Samuel Grubb, director; John R. Mickev, assessor.

No. 9 — John Wilson, moderator; James Helverson, director; David Lee, as- sessor.

Florence township had also elected school inspectors, they being John Wil- son. Cicero Hamilton and James Helverson.

We find a report made by James Helverson to Oliver Benton, school fund commissioner of the county, which seems to have been made in January. 1848, and gives in detail the number of persons of school age in the districts of Flor- ence township, Nos. 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 aggregating 255. He reports that he had re- ceived $110.34 for school purposes and had paid to W. R. Scott, a qualified teacher who taught in District Xb. 9 in the fall and winter of 1846-7, $20.80. The num- ber of persons of school age in District Xo. 9 was given at 59.

398 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

It appears from a report made by Lewis Kinsey, township clerk, in October, 1846. that District No. 1 in Wapello township had been organized and tbat $304 had been raised in the district for the purpose of purchasing lots, erecting a schoolhouse, furnishing the same, etc.

We find the following report from the school inspector of Wapello township for 1847: "Number of persons between the ages of five and twenty-one as shown by the reports of school directors: District Xo. 1, no; District Xo. 2, 57; Dis- trict Xo. 3, 40; District Xo. 4, 31. Total, 238.

"District No. 5 has been attached, a part of it, to School District Xo. 6, and the remainder to District Xo. 7 in Florence township.

"District Xo. 1 has sustained a school by subscription for the last six months. Average number in attendance say thirty-five ; perhaps forty.

"From the other districts I have no information touching their statistics. There is no school money in my hands.

"Francis Springer, "School Inspector Wapello Township.

"To Oliver Benton, Esq., Fund Commissioner Louisa County, Iowa."

Another interesting paper is one entitled. "Account of Election Held in School District Xo. 5, Wapello Township, Louisa County, Iowa," signed by Jesse Yanhorn, clerk. It appears from this paper that Jesse Yanhorn, John X. Baldridge and John II. Xichols requested O. Benton, moderator of the board of directors, to call a meeting of the voters in District Xo. 5, to take a vote whether or not a tax should be levied for the purpose of building a schoolhouse in said district, and that in accordance with that request the moderator caused advertise- ments to be put up, one on the schoolhouse, one at Robert Xichols, and one on the Washington road, stating that such vote should be taken at the house of Robert Xichols on February 12, at five o'clock p. m.

It also appears that 0:1 that date in accordance with a notice a meeting was held, attended by Robert Xichols, John H. Xichols, John X. Baldridge, Jesse Yanhorn, Robert Coulter. James Colter, James Davison, Joseph S. Benton and Oliver Benton, and that it was unanimouslv voted to lew a schoolhouse tax of $250.

On October 1st, 1848, George W. McCleary, school inspector of Wapello township, reported to the fund commissioner. His report shows that school had been taught in each of the five districts. Figures for Xo. 1 are as follows : Persons of school age, 125; time school has been taught, fifteen months; num- ber of pupils, 177: aggregate cost. $429. all paid by voluntary subscription.

The figures for No. 5 are as follows: Persons of school age, 30; time school had been taught, one and a half months; number of pupils, 28; aggregate cost, $9, all of which had been raised by voluntary subscription.

The figures for Xos. 2. 3 and 4 do not vary a great deal from those of Xo. 5, except that in each of those three districts the amount paid was greater and there seem to have been more schools.

We find a report from Columbus City township made by John Cleaves, school inspector, marked 1847. in which he gives the number of school children in the township at 443; those who have attended school at 191 ; and states that $101.30

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 399

of the public funds had been expended and that $116.37 had been raised by vol- untary subscription.

In a small book kept by Oliver Benton, school fund commissioner, we find a copy of a report made by Samuel Townsend, collector and treasurer of the county, dated February 15, 1S48, made to Mr. Benton, showing the amount of money collected "up to February 15, 1848, for school purposes," as follows: On taxes, 1846. $23.67; on taxes, 1847, $168.85; proceeds of estrays, $18; proceeds fines from justices of the peace, $20; total, $230.52, less commission one per cent, $2.30; balance, $228.22.

Xext we find recorded the disposition of this money as made by the school fund commissioner. His book shows that there were in the six districts of Columbus City township, 443 persons over five and under twenty-one ; in Flor- ence township, 285 ; in Wapello township in four districts, 238 ; in Jefferson town- ship, 192, in four districts; in Grandview township, 169 in three districts; in Fredonia township, 80 in two districts, making a total of 1,407 scholars. Be- fore distributing this money, the fund commissioner deducted his two per cent, leaving $223.66 to distribute. This amounted to a trifle less than sixteen cents for each scholar and was apportioned among the different townships accordingly, Columbus City township getting $70.43, Fredonia township, $12.72, and the others in proportion.

It appears that this distribution was examined into and approved by E. Jones, inspector of Grandview township, G. L. Coe, inspector of Jefferson township, and J. Helverson, inspector of Florence township.

On February 21, 1849, Treasurer Samuel Townsend reports to School Fund Commissioner Benton the following school money collected : On tax lists, $2~y.^o ; fines, $7.50, a total of $285, and deducting one per cent leaves a balance of $282.15.

The school fund commissioner's book shows that at the time of his appor- tionment in 1849 the reports of the inspectors of the several townships, made the total number of persons of school age in the county 1,588, and here are the items showing the money which he apportioned. From interest on permanent fund apportioned to Louisa county, $238.20 ; from Louisa county, being amount im- properly paid into county funds and belonging to the school fund, $148.53 ; re- ceived from the county treasurer, $282.15; total, $668.88. and this was divided among the various townships as follows :

Columbus City, 455 persons $191.62

Florence, 281 persons 1 18.32

Wapello, 258 persons 108.66

Grandview, 236 persons <)9-40

Jefferson, 217 persons 91.40

Fredonia, 141 persons 5948

The apportionment for March, 1850, was made on the reports from various townships, showing 1,735 persons of school age and the amount to be appor- tioned was $891.58, $589.90 of which was from the interest on the permanent school fund. The remainder was mostly, from taxes. At the time of the appor- tionment in 1848 there were twenty-four organized districts in the countv ; when

400 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

the apportionment was made in 1849 there were thirty-four such districts, and in 1850 there were forty-four.

In the same book from which the foregoing items have been taken is recorded the report of Dennis Williams, county treasurer, of school moneys collected during the year ending February 15, 1851. showing $485.46, about $65 of which seems to have come from estrays and tines, and the balance from taxes levied in [846, 1847, r849, 1850, much the greater part of it coming from the taxes of the year 1850. It appears from this book that before the time for making the apportionment for 185 1 other fines had been collected, some by the prosecuting attorney and some by the treasurer, and that the total amount to be opportioned was $1,405.16, and that there were forty-six school districts organized, having [,932 persons of school age.

In March, 1852, there were forty-seven organized districts in the county, having 2,310 persons of school age, and the amount to be distributed was $1,251.67. The amount received from taxes this year was S575.75. being the largest amount thus far received from taxes in any one year, but the fines collected for this year fell much short of those for the previous year.

At the time of the apportionment in 1853. the report showed forty-eight or- ganized districts, with 2,379 persons of school age, and $1,786 to be apportioned among them. The amount received from the county treasurer for taxes collected this year was $681.75. ^n examination of the reports made by the secretaries of the various school districts for the year 1852 shows that there were forty-nine school districts organized and that there had been thirty-six school houses built. [11 forty-three districts school had been taught. In districts where there was no schoolhouse it was the custom for the teacher to contract to do the teaching and furnish room and fuel for a certain specified amount. In one or two cases this fact is reported by the secretarv. but it has been learned from other sources that this was the case in several organized districts which had no schoolhouse.

It may be interesting to know how the amounts raised by voluntary subscrip- tion compared in the year 1852 with the amount received under the apportion- ment. The items we give are from the reports for 1852. In District Xo. I. Wapello township, two schools were taught, one by a male teacher and the 1 ither by a female teacher, whose names are not given. The male teacher re- ceived $30 per month and taught one hundred and seventy days. The female teacher received $15 per month and taught one hundred days. The amount paid out of the teachers' fund was $40, and from voluntary subscription, $305. In this district there was a frame schoolhouse that cost $400. In District No. 2. in Wapello township, Harrison Robinson taught sixty-five days at $16 per month, and Adela Williams taught fifty-seven days at $13.75 Per nionth. The amount paid from the teacher's fund was $53,331 3 and from voluntary subscription. $36,662/3. In the six organized districts of Wapello township there were six male and six female teachers, each teaching on an average of about sixty days. There were 506 persons of school age, and the average attendance is given at 192. The amount paid from teachers' fund was $241.95 and from voluntary subscrip- tion, $538.71; average wages of male teachers $20.22 per month, of the female teachers, $8.84 per month.

In eleven organized districts of Columbus City township this same year the reports show 602 persons of school age, the average attendance, 255. the amount paid from teachers' fund. $397.26 and from voluntary subscription, $368.81.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 401

Most of the reports show the kind and cost of the schoolhouses and the ma- jority reported this vear were either log or frame, but Jefferson No. I reports a brick schoolhouse, costing $572, and Florence No. 4 reports a brick schoolhouse, costing $275. Very few of the reports show any contingent expenses. Colonel \Y. W. Garner, secretary of District No. 3, in Columbus City township, under the head of contingent expenses reports that the officers worked free and paid all expenses. In his report of 1854 Colonel Garner says on the subject of con- tingent expenses "officers worked free of charge and paid contingent expenses, in the bargain, for the honor of the office."

In the report of State Superintendent Thomas H. Benton for the year 1850, we find the following list giving the names of the school teachers reported in Louisa county for that year, with the ages of those who seem to have been willing to give that information: J. N. Sellers, age 21 ; J. T. Hall, 38; W. N. Toundrow, 30; Riley Case, 33; John Cleaves, 35; William Taylor, 25; E. W. Ellsworth, 47; M. E. Blue; J. Wilson, 65; S. P. Devenport, 23; D. P. Curran, 22; C. Herrick. 42; T. B. Brown, 27; S. Moseby, 18; J. B. Grubb, 33; M. Reed, 18; J. Paschal, 20; E. Jacobs; J. F. AlcClellan ; J. Sprague, 31 ; J. Keeler, 26; E. Doder, 18; V. Willoughby; S. A. Demott ; S. Creighton ; 6. B. Donaldson; S. McBride, 26; M. Gibson, 18.

According to this same report there was paid to teachers in the state during the year ending October 1st, 1850, from the teachers' fund. $20,009.16, and from vol- untary subscription, $10,805.02. making a total in the state of $36,814.18. In Louisa county" the amount paid from teachers' fund was $637.53, an<l from voluntary subscription, $546.68. making a total of $1,184.21. It appears also that there was raised in the state during this year by taxation about $34,000 for school purposes, chiefly for the building of schoolhouses, and that the amount raised in Louisa county was $1,090.

It may be interesting to know that the library in the office of the state superin- tendent of public instruction had its beginning in 1848, with three books con- tributed by three different individuals, and that Colonel W. W. Garner of this county was one of the number, and contributed "The Revised School Laws of Ohio."

It is perhaps not generally known that we once had a contested election case in reference to the office of county superintendent. At the election in April, T858, I. 11. Brigham and Rev. W. R. Woodruff were the opposing candidates for this office but for some reason, which does not appear in the returns, the vote of Columbus City township was thrown out.

Mr. Woodruff had carried Columbus City township by good majority but by throwing this out Brigham had five majority in the county. Mr. Woodruff con- tested the election, the judges being Joseph L. Derbin, county judge, Dr. Wil- liam S. Robertson, chosen by Mr. Woodruff, and Dr. H. T. Cleaver chosen by Mr. Brigham. We find among the old papers the decision of the judges, which is as follows :

"We, the undersigned judges in the case of W. R. Woodruff vs. J. B. Brigham contesting the election for county superintendent of schools at the April election, 1858, do find from the evidence that the returns of said election were not only irregular and defective in form but that the county board erred in returning

402 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

those poll books for correction, — as we conceive without authority of law and therefore give it as our judgment that the election for county superintendent of public instruction should be set aside.

"Joseph L. Derbin, "William S. Robertson, "H. T. Cleaver,

"Judges of the contest. "Wapello, Louisa county, Iowa, May 17, 1858."

As the result of this decision a new election was had and Mr. Woodruff was elected by a vote of 735 to 482.

One of the very early teachers in the county was Richard Wigginton, who taught school in the winter of 1839-40, at Toolesboro. This Richard Wiggin- ton, it is said, was a son-in-law of Christopher Shuck. The school he taught was probably the second taught in the county. It is certain that one of Chris- topher Shuck's daughters married a Wigginton, but this Richard Wigginton who taught the school might have been the father of the one we have in mind. He was probably pretty well advanced in years at this time, for the school boys in those days called him "Old Moses."

Another early teacher in the county was A. G. Siverly, who was the father of E. W. Siverly. A. ( \. Siverly taught school in Honey Creek in what is now Morning Sun township, in 1840, and this was undoubtedly the first school taught in that neighborhood. The schoolhouse was a log cabin which had been used for a blacksmith shop and it was situated on the bank of Honey creek nearly a mile below the present school building in Honey Creek district.

John Wilson, an early settler there, also taught school in the same building, probablv in 1841. The first school taught in what is now Columbus City township was in a log schoolhouse not far from the present residence of M. D. Hanft, and very near where the schoolhouse in that district now stands.

James Helverson was one of the early school teachers there, possibly the first. The first school in the town of Columbus City was probably taught by John Cleaves about 1843. Colonel W. W. Garner also taught a term or two of school there shortly after that. The first school in Union township, that is, what is now Union township, was taught by Dr. W. A. Colton, and the school was held in Quince Thompson's house.

Over in the neighborhood of Harrison and Port Louisa one of the early- teachers was Rev. Holmes, who taught a school in Possum Hollow, down near Port Louisa. This was in the early '40s probably, although our informant is unable to give the precise date.

Another earlv teacher in that neighborhood was the Rev. Jackson Duff, an associate Reform Presbyterian minister, who divided his time as to preaching between Harrison and the Honey creek neighborhood.

The late John Hale was one of Mr. Duff's pupils, and we know of two of his pupils who are still living, — Mrs. McDill, daughter of John Ronalds, and Mrs. Carpenter, daughter of Albert Stickney, and mother of Hon. C. A. Car- penter.

Another earlv school teacher in what is now Morning Sun township was David Curran, who taught in old Concord about 1845.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 403

John Gilliland was probably the first school teacher in Wapello and he taught a private school on Main street. Some other information about the Wapello schools will be found in the chapter about Wapello.

It is said that the first school teacher in Marshall township was Elijah Lath- rop.

The first school taught in the Dan Westbrook neighborhood was, as we learn from James Thornton, in a little log house put up by the neighbors in the early '40s, and Emily Bras was the teacher. Fourteen or fifteen pupils attended this school and this was before the organization of any district there, and the par- ents paid so much for each child who attended. Mr. Thornton says the next school that was started in that district was at Grandview some years later and was taught for three or four years by Lewis Kinsey, who was afterwards county clerk and clerk of the supreme court.

As we have already stated, some of these early schools were taught in houses which were not built for that purpose. The school building in which the Rev. Duff taught at Harrison was a "lean to" built up against a two-story frame that stood just on top of Harrison hill, on the north side of the road and almost directly opposite the present fine residence of Mr. Fath. It had a puncheon floor, with seats of the same kind, and as John Hale said in describ- ing it, "each pupil furnished his own back."

The following article copied from the Columbus Gazette, of October 3, 1907, will serve to gi"e us a good idea of the early schools. It was written concern- ing Honey Creek school of pioneer days :

"It would take too long to describe all the old time methods of teaching, but we will briefly try to describe the old time way of teaching penmanship. No pupil was permitted to try to learn to write until he was sufficiently taught in spelling and capable to commence reading in the third reader. Then, and not before, he might apply to the teacher for permission to learn to write. With this permit, the pupil set out to procure the materials for commencement. At this date there were no steel pens in all the world. The pupils furnished goose quills, from which the teacher was required to make their pens. Good paper was dear and money very scarce. There was a kind of cheap, unruled paper used by new beginners. Lead pencils had not yet come into use. The pupil would draw out a small piece of lead or bullet, about three inches long for a pencil to rule his copy book with ; then he would get about a half pot full of oak bark and boil it down to a strong ooze and put a little copperas in it for his ink. Then the pupil would appear before the teacher with his new unruled copy book with his piece of lead tied to it with a string about two feet long and a home-made rule and a medicine bottle full of ink corked with a small piece of corn cob and a goose quill behind his ear. Then if the teacher was in good enough humor to notice him he would make him a pen out of his goose quill and set him a copy of straight marks. After a long time he would get a copy of what he called pot hooks. Then after long and tedious practice he would be introduced to what was called large hand letters, three or four times as large as common fine hand.

"Finally, if he went to school long enough, he would be promoted to try to write common small hand, and woe be unto the pupil writing or drawing any-

404 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

thing in his copy book but the copy. Any pupil caught trying to draw any kind of picture was liable to the severest punishment. Penmanship was so poorly taught that the fewest number of pupils ever learned to practice it efficiently. The little lady pupils who attended the old log schoolhouse are worthy of more than a passing notice. My, but they were nice! We know there are a great many lady pupils attending school now and a great many have attended since, but in our estimation none of them are to be compared with the little lady pupils that attended the old log school. < hie of them in particular seemed to me to be the very essence of perfection. One day at school, at the noon hour, in conver- sation with her. I cautiously stated that it would be a great pleasure for me to escort her home that night after spelling school. She very readily gave me to understand that such an arrangement would be agreeable to her. 1 felt en- couraged, but alas! when going home time came after spelling school my courage failed. I had not the nerve to carry out my part of the contract, and my little charmer had to go home without a beau. That night after retiring, the events of the past day made such an impression on my mind that it was perhaps half an hour before I could go to sleep. Next morning I was trying to solve one of the deep mysterious problems of long division when my dear came into the schoolroom; as she pa-sed me I looked up at her over my slate; she made an ugly face at me and was so mad she would not speak to me for several days. And that ended my first extremely pathetic love experience.

"Poor old log schoolhouse, long since become scattered ashes, goodbye. Poor little pioneer pupils. Poor little tired backs with nothing to lean against. Poor little bare feet that could never reach the floor. Poor little droopy headed fig- ures, so sleepy in the long summer days. Long since many of these pioneer pupils of the past, their feet wherever wandering, have found a resting place in the soft earth and their drooping heads have gone to sleep on a dreamless pillow and there they are at rest."

There is a little history connected with one of the schools in Marshall town- ship that probably ought to be preserved. There was one teacher who did not seem to get on the right side of the large boys. They decided that they wanted to make him treat the school to peanuts and candy. They finally went to the sub-director and told him what they wanted and the plan they had made, and he told them to go ahead, that there would be no interference from him. Ac- cordingly, a number of the big boys went to school bright and early on a cold Monday morning when the ground was covered with snow, got in plenty of wood, made a big fire and fastened the door on the inside. When the teacher came he could not get in, and they refused to let him in. Finally he got a big log and broke the door in. but he hadn't more than entered the room until four or five of the boys pounced upon him, and after quite a struggle succeeded in put- ting him out again. He then went to the aforesaid sub-director, who gave him no aid or comfort, but told him that he, the teacher, was hired to run that school and if he couldn't run it. he had better depart. Things went on for a few days, the boys still holding the fort, some of them remaining in the school- house over night to be on hand early in the morning. The teacher besieged the schoolhouse off and on, but was unable to gain an entrance, and after this had lasted for nearly two weeks he capitulated by agreeing to treat the school. This

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 405

he would do on the last day. Things went all right again for a few days until the teacher whipped one of the smaller scholars, unjustly, as the other boys thought ; that night a couple of the big boys waylaid him and gave him a whip- ping. This ended his teaching, but it is said that when the director came to pay him, he kept out $2.50 to treat the school with.

Shortly after this the directors hired another teacher. They raised the pay from $25 a month to $45, the agreement with the new teacher being that he was to get this pay for running the school, but if he couldn't run it, he got nothing. The parents were notified of the time when school would begin, and the big boys had a few meetings and laid their plans as to how they would "show" the new teacher. Monday morning came, the new teacher and all but one of the scholars were in their seats ready for business, when the chosen ringleader, according to agreement, came in late and without taking off his hat went up to the stove and began marching around it, clapping his hands, going through the motion of getting' warm. For a while the teacher appeared not to notice this new arrival, but at length he turned and told him that if he was a visitor he hoped he would be genteel enough to remove his hat and take a seat. The smile that went around the schoolroom told the teacher that this was no visitor, but a pupil, and he added, "but if you are a pupil, I will find you a place." With this he stepped toward the pupil and reached out his hand as if to take him by the coat collar ; but seeing that there was to be trouble, instead of taking him by the coat collar, knocked him down. A few of the other boys came up to engage in the fray but received the same punishment as fast as they came, and it was not long until the new teacher was master of the situation ; and it is said that his school that winter was the best school that had been taught in that district up to that time, and that within two weeks after this occurrence every boy in the house was willing' to fight for him if necessary.

As stated in the beginning of this article, we have found it very difficult to get definite information in regard to the early school teachers of the county, where they taught and when.

It may be fairly claimed that the public school system was in operation in this county, in a way, as early as 1850 or 1851. The United States Census for 1850 gives the attendance at the public schools in 1859 at 674, and the number of different pupils for that year at 1,200; the total population of the county then was 4,939. We need not speak of the schools of the county as they are now ; they are as good as, and quite similar to, the average Iowa schools.

GOLD SEEKERS

Louisa county furnished her full share of gold seekers in 1849 and 1850. To those of us who are living now it is hard to realize what these men must have put up with and suffered in making the trip across the country over the alkali desert with ox teams and on foot. People who travel a great deal now on the finest trains that cross the continent, find it a tiresome and disagreeable journey over that desolate country between Denver and Salt Lake, and in those days there were no conveniences of travel, and to be ever on the alert for the hostile Indians, — it certainly required courage to undertake such a trip. Quite a number went from Wapello, Columbus City and Morning Sun and other parts

406 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

of the county and quite a few of these died on the road. Some of our county officers resigned their positions to go in search of the yellow metal. Among them we note Aaron Hurley, county surveyor, and James McKay, county clerk. Mr. McKay was taken sick with the cholera and died on the way there.

A. J. Kirkpatrick in a letter to one of the newspapers described the dust and drouth that he encountered on the way out there and says: "That not less than 4,000 people died of cholera on the Platte river alone."

Joseph L. Derbiu, afterwards County Judge, wrote to Mr. Isett in Septem- ber, 1850, and the letter was published in the Wapello Times. We make some extracts from his letter:

"The Louisa county boys are so scattered that I cannot give much account of them ; those that I have any knowledge of are W. H. R. Thomas and his boys are at Cold Springs; C. M. McDaniel and boys, Cold Springs; Dr. Howey and boys. Cold Springs : Johnson and boys at the Rough and Ready diggins sixty miles north of here. S. Pitt, Webberville, fifty miles from here ; Louis Kinsey sits at my right hand. Charles Vandervort and William Crow, with Pelton are at Cold Springs. Black Wess is at Hangtown; Wygant and boys, Kuntz and boys and Hamilton boys are at Cold Springs. Messrs. Drake and Hur- ley and boys with Trask have gone to Feather river about seventy miles north from here. T. Hayes & Co., T. Thompson, David Gregory, and John Bevins and boys are on American river. Wheelock, is near Webberville, sick with typhoid fever, but at last accounts was in a fair way to recover. James Warnstaff, Lucket and Fitch are here in the city. George Keever died a few days ago at Hangtown. John Studdard and L. Robinson are teaming to the mines. M. B. Robinson. Henry May, Mintun's boys, Shuck's boys and A. Thompson are at Cold Springs. Tite is in the city. Stevens and boys are at Hangtown. John Donahoo, is in my camp sick in charge of A. Paschall and is getting better. G. Jones and brothers have gone to Carson Valley to buy stock. Zebina and Francis Williams past through here a short time ago, they sold out to Kirk- patrick and have gone to Oregon, but think they will be back in the Fall."

The above letter is dated at Sacramento.

THE WELSH SETTLEMENT

Louisa county is indebted to Wales for some of its very best citizens. In the west and southwest part of Columbus City township, and in the north part of Elm Grove township is what is often called the Welsh settlement, and it is composed of a class of people who come nearer being all "above par" than any community that we know of; with scarcely an exception they are honest, intel- ligent, industrious and law-abiding, always attending to their own affairs, but always willing to assist in any enterprise that will promote the progress or pros- perity of the county.

The earliest settler among them was John Griffith, who came in 1840. For many years he was the leader in the settlement, as he spoke English better than many of the other early comers and understood our ways better on that account.

Soon after him came Evan Anwyl. He had two sons, William, now dead, and Thomas who lives in the edge of Washington county ; one daughter Mary, married Evan Morgan, and his other daughter, Margaret, is the wife of David N. Jones, who was one of the most highly respected men in the community.

JOHN* GRIFFITH

LIONOX ' -!•

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 407

There also came such splendid men as John Morgan, John A. Rees, and the Davis', Evans', Williams', Owens', Jenkins', Jones', Roberts', Hughes', and others whose names do not occur to us at this writing. Also Wm. Arthur, Arthur Griffith and David Tudor.

The Welsh are a very religious people, some of them being Congregationalists, and some belonging to what is called the Welsh Calvanistic church.

The pioneer preacher in the Welsh settlement was the Reverend David Knowles, who preached the first Welsh sermon ever preached in Iowa, at Long Creek, on the second Sunday in September, 1845. Mr. Knowles organized the Congregational church at Long Creek January 14, 1846, and was pastor there until 1854, and again from 1861 to 1866. He was a man of great versatility, had a fine education and was a splendid penman, and had few equals in engrav- ing. He was born in Manchester, England, in January, 181 1, and resided for some time at Hawarden, Wales, the home of Mr. Gladstone. He preached at one time at Flint Creek, and Old Man's creek, which were Welsh churches, but also preached in English churches at Columbus City, Crawfordsville, Moscow, Wilton and Grand River in this state. Later he went to Nebraska and continued his pastoral work there, until shortly before his death which occurred February 12, 1899.

Another and the second pastor of this Welsh Congregational church on Long Creek was the Reverend Thomas W. Evans, who served there from 1856 to 1861. Mr. Evans was born at Cardigan in Wales, December 21, 1816, and came to Louisa county in 1856. He occasionally served other Welsh congregations besides the one on Long Creek. He died in this county only a few years ago at the age of 86.

The other pastors of this Long Creek church in the order of their service were as follows : Owen Owens, from 1868 to 1871 ; Samuel Jones, from 1872 to 1875; I. C. Jones, from 1875 to 1877; M. E. Davies, from 1878 to 1881 ; J. E. Jones from 1882 to 1889; W. H. Jones, from 1889 to 1890; Lloyd Williams from 1892 to 1900 ; James Jenkins, from 1900 to 1903 ; R. P. Roberts, from 1903 to 1907. Thomas P. Jenkins, who is the pastor at the present time.

For the information concerning the Welsh Congregational church, we are indebted to Reverend T. O. Douglas of Grinnell, and we regret that we have not similar data at hand for the other churches.

The Welsh settlement has not furnished very many county officials, but this is because so few of the people there seek office. Robert T. Jones was one of the county supervisors, and made an excellent record.

Miss Lizzie Hughes was county superintendent of schools, and has been for many years one of the faculty of the State Normal School at Cedar Falls. She is recognized as one of the leading educators of the state.

A FEW STATISTICS

In 1850 Louisa county had 12. 1 persons to the square mile. In 1856.

23.5. In 1870, 31.6. In 1880, 32.2, and it has been practically the same ever since.

In 1850 Louisa county had 850 families and 842 dwellings.

In 1856 there were 1,677 families and 1,571 dwellings.

In 1880 there were 2,607 families and 2,545 dwellings.

408

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

POPULATION OF LOUISA COUNTY

1838 I,l80

1 84O 1 ,927

1844 3^38

184'' 3.644

1 847 3,648

1849 4.155

1850 4,939

1852 5.476

[854 7,34i

1856 9.568

1859 10,805

i860 10,370

[863 10,639

1865 10,948

1867 11,885

1869 12,219

1870 12,877

lS73 12,377

1875 I2499

1880 13,142

1 885 11 ,926

1890 11,873

1895 12,786

!9oo 13,516

!y°5 12,893

:9io 12,355

( ENSUS OF 185O SHOWN POPULATION OF LOUISA COUNTY 9,599

Farmers L391

Blacksmiths 45

Carpenters 127

Wagon makers 20

16

10 8

4 16

Brick layers

Plasterers

Stone cutters

Machinists

Millers

Kngineers 13

Painters 8

Cabinet makers 7

Milliners 13

Tailors 1 ?

Shoemakers 18

Harness makers 7

Merchants 54

Speculators

Druggists

Physicians

Lawyers

I trick makers

Coopers 18

Clerks 22

Ministers 10

Teachers _>0

Teamsters ^1

Bankers 1

census of 1856

Nativity

Iowa 2,243

Ohio 2,214

Pennsylvania 1,062

Illinois 271

Nativity.

Indiana 802

New York 381

New England 232

Southern States, 1,066, chiefly Virginia, Tennessee. Kentucky, North Caro- lina, Maryland and Missouri.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

409

COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP POPULATION

l850

Columbus City 1,183

Fredonia 369

Grandview 1,028

Jefferson 646

Florence 776

Wapello 937

4,939

i860

Columbus City J, 81 5

Concord 577

Eliot 263

Elm Grove 573

Grandview 1 ,360

Jefferson 635

Marshall 728

Morning Sun . 1 ,075

Oakland 432

Port Louisa 667

Union 432

Wapello 1,813

1870	1880
2,344	2,868
892	747
370	414
701	651
1.635	i,544
846	678
967	769
1,258	1.734
604	508
774	693
616	608
1,870	1.928

10,370 12,877 13,142

Assessed State School Total

Year. Population. Value. Taxes. Taxes. Taxes.

l873 12,377 $7,039-05 $34,900.6o $84,129.36

1875 12,449 7.287.64 81,314.40

1895 12,786 40,009.13 96,158.74

1900 n.873 $14,619,068.00 9,502.29 119,389.18

!903 16,841,068.00 53,365-56 144,474-43

1905 19,241,996.00 60,873.75 148,296.02

x907 17,985,144.00 55.352.13 146,162.04

1909 18,307,224.00 60,071.81 168,873.26

1910 16,064.37 78,102.19 208,000.00

There has always been a strong temperance sentiment in Louisa county, and on every occasion when the people of the county have been permitted to vote upon the question, the temperance or prohibition side has had a majority. The rirst election was on the subject of license or no license, held April 5, 1847, at which "No license" received 271 votes, while 198 votes were cast "For license.*' Jefferson township and Fredonia township gave a majority for license, while Wapello, Columbus City, Grandview and Florence were against it. Some ac- count of the meetings held during the liquor campaign in 1854 was given in the newspapers, and they will serve to remind us of some of our early temperance advocates.

The last prohibition election held in Iowa was on the question of the pro- hibition amendment to the Constitution in 1883. At that time Louisa county cast a large majority in favor of prohibition, and has been numbered among the "Dry" counties ever since.

THE WORK OF THE WAPELLO VIGILANCE COMMITTEE

Early in 1859 tne Pe°ple of Louisa county, and especially those in the vicinity of Wapello, became considerably worked up over repeated thefts of horses and cattle. It is noted in the Wapello Intelligencer that about Mav 1st, A. D. Hur-

410 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

ley had a horse stolen from him. and that J. L. King had a horse stolen from the stable of Levi Chase. As a result of these and many former thefts the Intelli- gencer of May 14th called for the organization of a vigilance committee and such a committee was organized some time during the month of May. One of the most active men concerned in the organization of this committee was A. D. Hurley, who, for a time at least, was secretary of the committee, for we find in the Wapello Republican of July 4. 1861. the following notice:

"There will be a meeting of the Louisa county thief detective vigilance com- mittee, July 6, 1 861, at the court house in Wapello, at 7:30 o'clock p. m., for the election of officers and the transaction of important business. It is the duty of every member to attend all regular meetings when notified, and hold himself in readiness when called upon, to discharge any duty resting upon him as a member, and to communicate to the president all information that may be of advantage in bringing offenders to justice.

"A. D. Hurley, Sec."

Other active members of this committee were: Dr. H. T. Cleaver, Sheriff A. M, Taylor. Vinton Massie, John M. Herrick and D. W. Herrick, John F. Saunders, James Semple, S. B. Cleaver, and others whose names we cannot give. We take the following extract from a biographical sketch of John F. Saun- ders, which was published in the Wapello Tribune of March 24, 1905, and relates to this larceny matter :

"It was in the year 1859, and at a time when Louisa county was practically in her virgin state, scores of square miles of her territory was prairie land and vast herds of cattle roamed at will. The cattle were branded in the spring and turned loose and allowed to roam and feed upon the grass until autumn, when they were identified by the owners, taken up and sold. These herds of cattle were great temptations to lawless bands of thieves, who, many times singling out the best of the herd, drove them to Burlington or to the nearest marketing place and sold them. Sheriff Taylor was in office at the time of which we write, and under him our sketch was acting in the capacity of deputy. Sheriff Taylor conceived the plan of catching the outlaws. A man by the name of Rhodes was then in the penitentiary at Fort Madison serving out a sentence of several years, and Taylor, who had some acquaintance with the man, visited the prison and laid his plans before him. It was to the effect that he should obtain the pardon of Rhodes, who was to get in touch of the outlaws, if possible, gain their confi- dence, acquaint himself with their plans, reveal the same to Taylor and help in their capture. This Rhodes consented to undertake, and after regaining his lib- erty, carried out his plan to its ultimate success. He learned that on a certain evening a band were to deliver to a shipper at a point near where Elrick Junc- tion now stands a herd of ten well fatted cattle, who was to pay for the same and say nothing. Taylor decided to intercept this plan if possible and capture the thieves. So taking with him his trusted deputies. Mr. Saunders. Gustavus Jones, David and Henry Herrick and Vinton Massie, they laid in wait for the thieves at what was then called Horseshoe Bend, a point about one hundred yards below the residence of Israel Peters, on the Burlington road south of Wapello, and where Rhodes had learned the thieves would pass with their stolen property.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 411

About midnight the thieves were sighted and the sheriff and his men, waiting until they were close by, arose from both sides of the road and demanded their immediate surrender. The thieves replied by opening tire and a number of shots were exchanged, two of the horses belonging to the thieves were killed, and they, fearing death stared them in the face, gave themselves up, after J. G., one of their number, had received a severe wound in his right thigh."

The foregoing article was written at the time Mr. Saunders was about eighty years old, and for some reason, due either to the failure of his memory, or the failure of the reporter to correctly understand him, no mention is made of the connection of A. D. Hurley with this case. The fact is, however, as we under- stand it, that Mr. Hurley went to Fort Madison to interview the man Rhodes and afterward went to the governor in person and secured the necessary pardon. It is doubtless true that Sheriff Taylor went to Fort Madison to interview Rhodes, and perhaps also to take the pardon down to him. Great credit is of course due Sheriff Taylor and his deputy, Mr. Saunders, and doubtless to others whose names have not been mentioned, but it is proper that due credit should be given Mr. Hurley for the active interest he took in this affair from its begin- ning to its close.

We take the account of the capture of the men from the Wapello Intelli- gencer of October ist, 1859:

"It has been no less a notorious fact, than a continued source of annoyance and loss to the citizens of Louisa county for some time past, that we have had among us a gang of men who have been drawing upon us at sundry times, and in divers ways for different kinds of goods and chattels, in that unwarrantable way familiarly known as stealing ; and to such an extent had their different depre- dations been practiced upon our citizens that it became necessary for the preserva- tion of horses, cattle, etc., that a vigilance committee be formed, which was or- ganized some time last spring, and of which until lately, there has been but little known. It would seem, however, that they have been at work, and to what effect will be seen to some extent in the result of their labor of last Tuesday evening.

"It seems that by some means unknown to the 'uninitiated' that a part of the committee received information that cattle were being driven from the differ- ent neighborhoods throughout the county, at different times, and herded in a clandestine manner until proper opportunities offered for driving them entirely out of the reach of their owners, on which information the committee put them- selves upon the alert to detect them in the act, in which they succeeded last Tuesday evening in arresting the following persons, citizens of this place: Mr. E., Mr. C., and Mr. G. ; not, however, without some little skirmishing, in which two horses belonging to Mr. E. (one ridden by himself, the other by G.) were shot down, one of which has since died. Mr. G. was also wounded in the fleshy part of the thigh, but not considered dangerous. The parties were then brought to town, placed under guard, and the cattle (eight head) were driven to a lot and secured and were afterward recognized as belonging to Josiah Nicol, living some seven miles southwest of town. The parties were placed on trial yesterday before Justice Jacob Mintun, from before whom a change was taken to Justice Fisher, which, with other preliminaries, has occupied the time up to the present.

412 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

"The examinations have just closed by which E. is held in bonds of $1,500; C. and G. in $1,000 each ; and all are still in custody for want of compliance with the requirements of the court. Further developments are being made by legal search about their respective habitations, the particulars of which will be given next week as our hurry to go to press prevents anything further in this issue."

Neither the account given by Mr. Saunders nor the account in the Intelli- gencer gives the date of the capture of these men, but this can be determined quite accurately from a little bill tiled by Airs. G. against the county. The bill was filed March 27, 18G0, and is as follows: "To boarding bailiff twenty-three days, from the 27th of September, 1859, to October term of district court, in guarding G., a prisoner, keeping up fires, lights, etc.. during that time, $23."

This would make the date September 27, or within a day or two of that, and would indicate that G. was kept there until court was held. The district court records show that J. G. plead guilty on October 27, 1859, to an indictment for larceny and was sentenced to the penitentiary for three years. The cases against E. and C. were transferred to Henry county and tried there. Joshua Tracy, the district attorney, represented the state, and Henry O'Connor, D. N. Sprague and B. F. Wright represented the defendants. The witnesses in these cases so far as we have found their names were: Josiah Xicol, A. D. Hurley, A. C Scull, Bentley Cleaver, James Semple, John Saunders, James Humphrey, Edward Pile, Milley Gregory, William R. Williams, D. W. Herrick, Vinton Massie, H. T. Cleaver, E. B. Ogg. Isaac Mickey, F. L. Crain, G. A. Craiger, Thomas Stod- dard, Gust Jones, William Teets, J. C. Case, William Russell and W. W. Stutts. The trials at Mount Pleasant resulted in the conviction of both.

We find on the files in the auditor's office the following bill presented against the county by J. Stone. It is evident from the spelling indulged in by Mr. Stone, which we give literally from his bill, that if he was not one of the originators of the plan of simplified spelling, he at least had original ideas on the subject:

"A Cont with Louisa County Or. t" worke Dr. one nite and part of day

with houts $i-5°

to one nites Loging for prisner 65

and garding the Same one nitte 1 00

2 nits and days with E 4-00

Dr. one nite a lone with E 1 .00

Comenced garding Carpenter Oct 21

a mount of nites and gard 9 nits and 8 da} s

3 days I lalef for 1 J-00

( irand jourey 3-00

1 )r. to 1 day with John Salys 1 .00"

At the bottom of this bill is the following certificate in the handwriting of A. M. Taylor:

"I hereby certify that the above services were performed to the best of my belief and knowledge.

"A. M. Taylor,

Stiff. L. C. lozva."

The valuable service performed by the Wapello vigilance committee was recog- nized by the county court, by the payment on June 5. 1860. to John M. Herrick,

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 413

treasurer of the Wapello vigilance committee, of $200, to repay money expended by the committee in the detection of criminals.

SAFE ROBBERY

On the night of Monday. February 17. 1868, Louisa county treasury suffered a severe loss by burglary, but before giving an account of that, it is proper to say that an attempt was made to burglarize the safe in 1865. Under the head- ing "Attempted Robbery," the Wapello Republican of Thursday, April 4, 1865, savs : "On Thursday night last, the office of the county treasurer was entered bv unlocking the outer door and forcing the inner one." The article states that gunpowder and chisels and iron bars were used, but that the burglars were interrupted in their work by Janitor Grey at about half past 4 a. m.. when they were nearly through their work. It seems they had taken the tools from the shop of Rose & Cody and a lamp from the Methodist church. The following is the account of the safe robbery as taken from the Wapello Republican, pub- lished at the time :

"The Louisa county treasurer's office was entered by burglars Monday night. February 17, 1868, the safe broken open and $17,000 in greenbacks taken there- from. There were $3,200 in the lower compartment of the burglar proof part of the safe which the thieves were unable to reach. Of this some four or five hundred dollars belongs to private parties. We believe the whole amount taken belonged to the county. A considerable portion of it was school money that would have been paid out in a short time to teachers, and the loss will seriously affect that class of laborers.

"W. S. Kremer, the treasurer, worked in his office until about eleven o'clock that night, and three-quarters of an hour later Mr. Hale, the clerk of the district court, passed through the courthouse yard on his way home from the Odd Fellows lodge, so that the burglarious work was probably not entered upon until after midnight. Mr. Kremer was the first to reach the office Tuesday morning, at about sunrise. He found the door locked and all the window blinds except one, closed as usual. These blinds seem well adapted to the use of burglars. They are made of boiler iron, and have not been, and perhaps could not be so fastened but that they could be easily pried off, or opened. Once inside, the burglars could close them when they would completely conceal the light, and they would also greatly deaden the sounds of their operations. No one sleeps in the courthouse and it is perhaps seventy-five yards to the nearest house. Some of the persons living in the vicinity say they heard noises, as of pounding, but supposed it was horses pawing in an adjoining stable.

"The burglars had prepared themselves with some half dozen steel wedges of from two to five inches in length and about one inch in width, and they broke into the blacksmith shop of Rose & Company and secured a cold chisel and a sledge, which they left near the broken and battered safe. In the attempt- to rob the safe in the same office, three or four years ago, the same shop was broken into and the same tools taken out, and it can hardly be doubted that the same parties were in both transactions.

414 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

"Effecting their entrance through the window, the burglars went to work with their wedges and sledge, and by prying and pounding and breaking, such as only experienced villains know how to do, they opened the outside doors. The inside, or burglar proof doors were not opened, but the lock was broken and deranged, and the iron shelf, or partition, running horizontally over it, and forming its roof, was pried up until an aperture was formed wide enough to admit of the insertion of small tongs or nippers, or something of that kind, with which the coveted packages were fished up and drawn out. The opening was large enough to admit even a small hand. The money once secured, of course there was not much time lost in making tracks.

"Whoever the villains are. they understand their business thoroughly. There was no bungling about it. Of course the transaction was carefullv planned, and has, no doubt, been in contemplation for months and perhaps years, a simi- lar attempt having been made three or four years ago. Xo doubt every circum- stance was carefully calculated, and it is believed by many that local assistance was rendered, though the principal actors, it is thought, came from a distance. Indeed, it is almost certain that a trace of them has been discovered, and every effort is being made to capture them.

"Two middle sized, dark complexioned men hired a span of horses and buggy at Unterkercher's stable in Burlington last Saturday, to come up to the neighborhood of Bethel church, as they said, but really they came right through to Wapello. They put up at the Burlington House and told the landlord that they would want their team at eleven o'clock that night. The stage driver from Burlington who puts up at Unterkercher's, came in the same evening and knew the team they were driving and that they had hired it to drive only a few miles. When he learned that they wanted to return that night, he objected, as it would be too hard a drive. Our gentlemen parleyed about the matter through the evening, and one of them went out and was gone an hour or two. and when he returned they at last decided, at about ten o'clock, to remain over night but to return early Sunday morning, which they did. The "job" was no doubt planned for Saturday night, but for obvious reasons it was postponed. Monday afternoon the same parties hired the same team for another little ride up the country but so far as we can learn, at the present writing, they stopped nowhere on the road. Tuesday morning, at about eight o'clock, they drove up to the stable in Burlington, their horses foaming with sweat, and hurriedly paying their bill, they were soon out of sight. The stage driver, who was there at the time, says they carefully avoided him. Add to this the fact that Olley T, Stewart, a boy some twelve years of age, found $900 of the money in the road between the residence of S. Jamison and the stone schoolhouse on the Burling- ton road as he was going to school Tuesday morning in company with little Katy Herrick, and it is almost certain what direction the monev took and who got, at least, the bulk of it. Mr. Kremer issued posters Tuesdav morning offering a reward of $2,000 for the arrest of the burglars and the recoverv of any considerable portion of the money, and Tuesday evening, on learning the facts above given from the stage driver, he started for Burlington. Riders were also sent in other directions, and every effort is being made to bring the guilty parties to justice."

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 415

It was not long before a number of persons were arrested as suspects, among them being Benjamin F. Langell, Allen Jackson and George A. McKay. Langell, after being in jail about six months, not liking the confinement, broke out on January 20, 1869, by sawing off an iron bar of one of the window casings. The jail had been considered unsafe for some time and a guard had been em- ployed by Sheriff Lacey ; but in the opinion of the supervisors, this guard was considered too expensive and had just been discharged prior to the time Langell made his escape. A Mrs. Lottie Anthony from Muscatine, had come down to visit Langell the day before he made his escape, and she was immediately arrested on a charge of having assisted him to escape, and was bound over to the district court ; but nothing further seems to have been done against her. Alexander Jackson was arrested by Sheriff E. B. Lacey somewhere in Ohio, and Jackson's friends immediately got out a writ of habeus corpus but failed to secure his release. Jackson then had Lacey arrested on a charge of perjury, alleged to have been committed at the habeus corpus trial. Sheriff Lacey was released from this perjury charge and then another Ohio court issued a writ of habeus corpus for Jackson, but Sheriff Lacey also defeated this proceeding and brought his prisoner back with him. Jackson was tried but there was not enough evidence against him to warrant a conviction. George A. McKay was tried at Burlington in May, 1871, and the jury disagreed, standing nine for conviction and three for acquittal. We believe he was tried a second time and acquitted. McKay was supposed to have some land in Warren county, this state, and on January 6, 1870, the matter of Louisa county bringing suit against him and attaching this land on behalf of the county, was considered by the board of supervisors but it was decided by a vote of sixty-five not to do so. At the same meeting, however, the board adopted the following preamble and resolution :

"Whereas, It has been reported to this board that one George A. McKay, who is charged as being one of the burglars who robbed the county safe some two years since,

"Whereas, It is reported that said McKay is the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land in Warren county, this state (it being the same land on which E. B. Lacey has now an attachment), on which we might levy an attachment to escure a part of our loss incurred by said burglary, and,

"Whereas, ex-sheriff E. B. Lacey has lost considerable time in the pursuit of said burglars, therefore,

"Resolved that as compensation for such loss of time, the county hereby assigns to said E. B. Lacey all her rights and interests in such land and he is authorized at his own expense and for his own use to prosecute such suit to judgment."

Among the records of the board of supervisors we find a claim filed against the county by Sheriff E. B. Lacey. May 31. 1871, as follows:

416 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

To reward for the capture and return of George A. McKay as per

agreement of board of supervisors of Louisa county $1,250.00

To 10 per cent interest on $1,000 from September 1, 1870, to June 6,

1871 83.34

Total $1,333-34

This claim is marked on the back "filed August 29, 1871 ," and below that is the word "disallowed.''

We also find among the files a claim of E. B. Lacey for services and ex- penses in pursuit of burglars, filed December 29, 1871, amounting to $1,184.19, exclusive of interest. The claim is made of items of expense in traveling to and from various places in the months of August and September, 1870. In addi- tion to these items of expense for travel there are the following items :

To amount paid sheriff of Champaign county, prison expenses of Mc- Kay $ 35.00

Paid J. D. Brown, ex-sheriff, for assistance in extraditing McKay.... 25.00

Services of Sheriff Lacey for sixteen days at $6 per day 96.00

Cash and note given for apprehension of McKay, with ten per cent

interest from date 1,000.00

There was a number of items of actual expense aggregating $1,442.40, on which there is a credit of $258.21, received of the auditor of state on expen- ditures and services in apprehending and extraditing McKay. This claim is also marked "disallowed."

Soon after this burglary the board of supervisors took steps to have the amount of said funds in the treasurer's safe credited to the county, so that they would not have to be paid to the state. In March, 1868. the board addressed the following memorial to the legislature :

"To the Hon. the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Iowa: "The undersigned, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Louisa in the State of Iowa, would respectfully represent that on the morning of the 18th of February, A. D., 1868, the office of the treasurer of said county was entered by burglars, the safe, supposed to be a good, burglar proof safe, broken open, and funds to the amount of seventeen thousand, one hundred and five dol- lars and forty cents stolen, of which eight hundred dollars have been recovered. We would further respectfully represent that at that time there was on hand, and in said safe, moneys collected on state tax amounting to the sum of four thousand five hundred and ninety-three dollars and twenty-eight cents, and that there was due to the state at that date on Insane Hospital account the sum of fifteen hundred and seventeen dollars and fourteen cents, there being at that time collected and on hand Insane Hospital tax to more than that amount.

"The whole making the amounts in said treasury properly belonging or due to the state of Iowa, six thousand one hundred and ten dollars and forty-two cents."

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 417

Subsequently the legislature passed a joint resolution in regard to this and several other similar robberies of county safes that had occurred not long be- fore that, in which the state auditor was authorized to make proper credits to the various counties named in the resolution. Louisa county eventually got credit under this resolution for $4,592.28.

WOLF HUNT

The following is taken from the Wapello Times of January, 1851 :

"Pursuant to adjournment the citizens of Louisa county met on Friday, January 10, 185 1, whereupon T. Brogan, Esq., was called to the chair, and T. S. Bell was appointed secretary.

"On motion, J. T. Cleaver, James Noffsinger and T. S. Bell were appointed a committee to select marshals and describe the boundaries for the Circle Wolf Hunt, to take place on Saturday, the 18th day of January, 1851, commencing at 8 o'clock, a. m. After an absence of a few minutes they reported as fol- lows, to wit:

''Boundaries — Commencing at Florence, thence to Scull's, thence to Esq. Wilson's, thence to Samuel McElhanie's, thence to James Jarvis', thence to Joshua Marshall's, thence to John Marshall's, thence to the ford on Long creek (on the Burlington and Columbus City road), thence down Long creek to its mouth, thence down the Iowa river to the town of Wapello, thence to Florence.

"Marshals — Florence line, John Deihl ; Scull's, John Wiser ; Wilson's, T. Brogan : McElhanie's, F. Lee ; Squire Brown's, H. C. Blake ; Jarvis', Z. Jarvis ; Virginia Grove, Joseph Marshall ; Hope Farm, J. Tinstal and John Marshall ; the ford, Joseph B. Nichols ; Hill's Mills, Robert Benton ; Robinson's, T. Stod- dard : mouth of creek, Wiley Gregory, James Blanchard and H. Gregory ; Harri- son, R. B. Packard; Wapello, J. Bell, Jr., and J. M. Herrick; Squash Bend, S. S. Blackburn and James Wilson ; mouth of Otter creek, Samuel Chaney.

"They also reported the following regulations to be observed by all persons engaging in said hunt :

"The west line on its arrival at the bluffs will call a halt and report by signals to the captain ; the north and south lines, on arriving at the open prairie, will halt and report by signals, also ; the captain will then sound the advance, when the lines will commence moving steadily forward with as little noise as possible, carefully beating up every inch of the ground, and driving the game to the center. On arriving at the enclosure the captains on each line will select men to enter the circle and drive up the game ; those forming the circle to stand in their places, killing all that may attempt to escape in the shape of wolf, deer, or other wild animal.

"No firearms to be carried, no clogs shall be permitted to run loose until the lines are closed, then let loose by order of the captain. All the wolf scalps taken are to be given to the Louisa County Times for publishing notices.

"Each marshal shall be provided with a horn and a flag.

"The captain to sound the time of starting at Wapello, sound to pass round the lines twice, from Wapello down the river, thence round to the place of starting. The center to be designated by a flag.

418 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

"Every person to be provided with a good hickory club, three feet long, and

a knife.

"Closing ground one mile east and one-half mile south of Elm Grove. "Resolved, That all persons engaging in said hunt be earnestly requested to observe the above regulations.

"Resolved. That no spirituous liquors be allowed on the ground. "Resolved. That everybody be requested to attend. "On motion, adjourned."

APPENDIX

CHARTERS, GRANTS, TREATIES AND LAWS AFFECTING LOUISA COUNTY

It may not be long until the land owner who wants to sell will find it neces- sary to furnish an abstract of title reaching back to "the beginning of things" on this continent. Desiring that the subscribers to this work shall be fully prepared for such an emergency, we have been at some pains to prepare a list of the various charters, grants, treaties, and organic acts, which have, from time to time, been granted or enacted relating to or affecting the territory com- • prising Louisa county, with a list and brief mention of laws wihch have special or local application.

April, 1492

Grant by Ferdinand and Elizabeth to Christopher Columbus, making him "Admiral Vice-Roy and Governor" of the Islands and Continents he should

discover.

May. 1493

Pope Alexander Sixth issued a Bull conceding to Spain all the continents, inhabited by infidels, which had been discovered by Spain.

March, 1496

King Henry Seventh granted Letters Patent of discovery and trade to John Cabot and his sons, Lewis, Sebastian and Santius, the)- to pay to the king the fifth part "of the capitall gaine so gotten."

November, 1620

King James I granted to the "Councill established at Plymouth in the County of Devon for the planting, ruling, ordering and governing of New England in America" "all that Circuit, Continent, Precincts, and Limitts in America, lying and being in Breadth from Fourty Degrees of Northerly Latitude, from the Equinoctiall Line, to Fourty eight Degrees of said Northerly Latitude, and in length by all the Breadth aforesaid throughout the Maine Land, from Sea to

Sea. &c."

1630 and 163]

• The "Councill" at Plymouth granted to the Earl of Warwick in 1030 a tract of country south of Massachusetts. On March 19, 1631, the Earl trans- ferred his grant to Lords Say and Seale. Burke and others. This grant included all of Louisa countv.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 419

June, 1635

The Council established at Plymouth surrendered its charter to King Charles.

1662

Charles II granted a Charter to John Winthrop and associates, to the same territory included in the Warwick grant of 1630, Winthrop and his associates having purchased the rights of those holding under the Warwick grant.

June, 1673

Marquette and Joliet "discovered" this part of the country for France.

April, 1682

La Salle claimed for France a large part of the Mississippi valley, including all of the present State of Iowa.

October, 1691

William and Mary of England, promulgated an instrument by which they did "Will and Ordayne that the Territories and Collnyes called or Known by the names of Collony of the Massachusetts Bay and Collony of New Plymouth" and other colonies named "be erected Vnited and incorporated" into "one reall Province by the name of Our Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England."

1762 and 1763

England, France and Spain agreed that the boundary between the Provinces of England and France in America should be fixed as the middle of the Mis- sissippi River, from its source to the Ibervilles.

France also ceded Louisiana to Spain, and the lands now included in Iowa were a part of the province of Louisiana, and thus came under Spanish dominion.

1800 and 1 801

By the treaty of San Ildefonso, made between France and Spain on October 1, 1800, Spain agreed, upon certain conditions to re-cede Louisiana to France. This was confirmed by a second treaty, between the same powers, made at Madrid, March 21, 1801. and we thus again came under French dominion.

April 30, 1803

A treaty was concluded between the President of the United States and "the first consul of the French Republic, in the name of the French people," ceding the province of Louisiana to the United States ; ratifications were ex- changed at Washington, October 21, 1803.

October 31, 1803

Act of Congress authorizing the President to take possession of "the terri- tories ceded by France to the United States" by the treaty of April 30th last, and providing that, until the expiration of the present congress, unless provision for a temporary government should be sooner made by congress, the govern- ment thereof should be vested in such persons and exercised in such manner as the President should direct.

420 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

March 26, 1804

Act of Congress dividing "that portion of the country ceded by France to the United States, under the name of Louisiana" so that all that part south of the territory of Mississippi and south of 33° of north latitude should constitute the territory of Orleans, and the "residue of the province of Louisiana" should be called the district of Louisiana and be under the government and jurisdiction of the governor and judges of Indiana territory.

March 3, 1805

Act of Congress declaring that the "district of Louisiana" should thence- forth be known as the Territory of Louisiana and providing for its government by a governor and three judges.

February 20, 181 1

Act of Congress to enable the people of Louisiana to form a state govern- ment, and prescribing limits which extended no further north than 300 north latitude.

April 8, 1812

Louisiana admitted as a state.

June 4. 181 2

Act of Congress providing that the "Territory heretofore called Louisiana shall hereafter be called Missouri," and providing for a territorial government consisting of a governor, a legislative council and a house of representatives.

September 10, 1819

Act of the Governor and Judges of the territory of Michigan to regulate ferries. Section 2 provides, that the County Court shall grant licenses for keep- ing ferries in their respective counties, which shall continue in force for one year and no longer.

March 6, 1820

Act of Congress authorizing the people of Missouri to form a state govern- ment, with boundaries as follows: Beginning at the middle of the Mississippi river on the parallel of thirty-six degrees north latitude ; thence west along that parallel of latitude to the Saint Francois river; thence up, and following the course of that in the middle of the main channel thereof, to the parallel of latitude of thirty-six degrees and thirty minutes ; thence west along the same to a point where the said parallel is intersected by a meridian line passing through the middle of the mouth of the Kansas river, where the same empties into the Missouri river; thence from the point aforesaid, north, along the said meridian line, to the intersection of the parallel of latitude which passes through the rapids of the river Des Moines, making the said line to correspond with the Indian boundary line; thence east, from the point of intersection last afore- said along the said parallel of latitude to the middle of the channel of the main fork of the said river Des Moines ; thence down and along the middle of the main channel of the said river Des Moines to the mouth of the same where it

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 421

empties into the Mississippi river ; thence due east to the middle of the main channel of Mississippi river; thence down and following the course of the Mis- sissippi river, in the middle of the main channel thereof, to the place of be- ginning.

June 12, 1820

The Constitution of the State of Missouri was adopted by a convention held at St. Louis; this constitution fixes the northern boundary line of Missouri as follows: from "the intersection of the parallel of latitude which passes through the rapids of the river Des Moines, making the said line correspond with the Indian boundary line, thence east from the point of intersection last aforesaid, along the said parallel of latitude, to the middle of the channel of the main fork of the said river Des Moines ; thence down and along the middle of the main channel of the said river Des Moines to the mouth of the same, where it empties into the Mississippi river ; thence due east to the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi river, etc.

March, 1821

Joint resolution of congress providing for the admission of the state of Missouri on a certain condition, approved March 2, 1821.

August, 1 82 1

Proclamation of President Monroe, dated August 10, 1821, declaring that Missouri had complied with the condition made by congress, and declaring the admission of Missouri into the Union to be complete.

February 13, 1833

Treaty with the Sac and Fox Indians made at Fort Armstrong September 1832, and proclaimed February 13, 1833. This is the Treaty known as the "Black Hawk Purchase," or "Scott's Purchase," and included all of the present Louisa county except such as was contained in the "Keokuk Reserve." This reserve extended from the mouth of Smith creek northwest, on both sides of the Iowa, to and beyond the county line.

June 28. 1834

Act of Congress attaching to the territory of Michigan "all that part of the territory of the United States bounded on the east by the Mississippi river, on the south by the State of Missouri and a line drawn due west from the northwest corner of said state to the Missouri river ; on the southwest and west by the Missouri river and the White Earth River falling into the same ; and on the north by the northern boundary of the United States," for purposes of tem- porary government.

( The territory of Michigan was formed by Act of Congress, approved Jan- uary 11, 1805, dividing the Indiana Territory into two separate governments and provided that it should have "a government in all respects similar to that provided by the ordinance of congress, passed on the 13th day of July one thousand, seven hundred and eighty-seven, for the government of the territory northwest of the river Ohio; and by an act passed on the seventh day of

422 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

August one thousand, seven .hundred and eighty-nine, entitled "An act to pro- vide for the government of the territory northwest of the river Ohio." This act was amended February 16th, 1819, March 3rd, 1823, February 5th, 1825, and January 27th, 1827.)

September 6, 1834

By act of the territorial council of Michigan, the county of Demoine was established, containing all of what is now the State of Iowa south of a line drawn due west from the lower end of Rock Island in the Mississippi River. This act took effect October 1, thereafter. It also provided "said county shall constitute a Township, and be called Flint Hill."

July 3. 1836

Act of Congress establishing the territorial government of Wisconsin, ap- proved April 20, 1836, to take effect "from and after the 3rd day of July next." The Territory of Wisconsin included all of the present State of Iowa. This act provided that "The people of the said territory shall be entitled to, and enjoy, all and singular the rights, privileges, and advantages, granted and secured to the people of the United States northwest of the Ohio river, by the articles of the compact contained in the ordinance for the government of the said ter- ritory, passed on the thirteenth day of July, one thousand, seven hundred and eighty-seven; and shall be subject to all the conditions and restrictions and prohibitions in said articles imposed upon the people of the said territory."

July 3, 1836

The Act of Congress approved April 20th, 1836. established the Territory of Wisconsin, the act took effect "the third day of July next." The new Ter- ritory of Wisconsin included all of the present State of Iowa.

September, 1836

Proclamation of Henry Dodge, governor of Wisconsin, dated September 9, 1836, in pursuance of the act organizing the Territory of Wisconsin. This proclamation refers to the fact that the governor had caused a census of the territory to be taken and apportions the members of the council and house of representatives as follows: Des .Moines county, seven members of the house, and three members of the council; Dubuque county, five members of the house and three members of the council, and the other four counties, all east of the Mississippi, had fourteen members of the house and seven members of the council. This proclammation ordered that the first election for members should be held on the 2d Monday of October thereafter.

October, 1836

Governor Henry Dodge issued two proclamations, both dated October 25, 1836, to declare and make known the gentlemen who were duly elected to the council and house. We give the names of those from Des Moines county only. In the council were Jeremiah Smith, Jr., Joseph B. Teas and Arthur B. Inghram ; in the house were Isaac Leffler, Thomas Blair, Warren L. Jenkins, John Box, George W. .Teas, Eli Revnolds, and David R. Chance.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 423

November 15, 1836

Act of the first session of the legislative assembly of the Territory of Wis- consin, provided that the counties of Dubuque and Des Moines should constitute the Second Judicial District, and that David Irvin, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin, should perform District Court duties in the Second District, and that Court should be held in Des Moines County on the first Monday in April and the first Monday in September.

November 17, 1836

Act of the Territorial Legislature of Wisconsin, providing that the bonds of the Sheriffs of the several counties, may hereafter be approved by the judges of the District Courts of the proper county, or by any two Justices of the Peace of the same county.

November 17, 1836

Act of the Territorial Legislature of Wisconsin authorizing the judges of the Supreme Court for the several counties within the territory to appoint a Clerk of each Court of their respective districts previous to the holding of the first term of Court, said Clerks to hold their several appointments until the first term of the Court for which they shall be respectively appointed, and until their successors are appointed and qualified.

December, 1836

Act of the Wisconsin Territorial legislature providing that the supervisors of each county could grant licenses "for any time not less than one year, for groceries, victualing houses, and ordinaries, with permission to sell spirituous wines and liquors in small measure," and every person thus licensed was to pay to the treasurer of the county the sum of $108. This act also provided that the duties of county clerks in the courts of Michigan Territory, concerning the assessment and collection of territorial taxes, should be performed by the clerks of the boards of supervisors in Wisconsin Territory.

December, 1836

Act of the Territorial Legislature of Wisconsin, approved December 6, 1836, as follows: "An act to amend the several acts hereinafter mentioned, to wit: An act entitled An .Act Relative To The Duties And Privileges of Townships, approved 17th of April, 1833, also an act entitled An Act To Provide For The Assessment And Collection Of Township And County Taxes, approved 22d of April, 1833. Also an act entitled An Act To Provide For the Defraying of Public and Necessary Expenses in the Respective Counties of This Territory, and For Other Purposes, approved March 6, 1833, also an act entitled An Act to Regulate Highways, approved April 17, 1833."

Section I. P>e it enacted, etc., that each county within this territory now organized or that may be hereafter organized, be and the same is hereby de- clared one township for all the purposes of carrying into effect the above recited acts, and that there shall be elected at the annual town meeting in each county, three supervisors, who shall perform in addition to the duties heretofore as-

424 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

signed them as a county board, the duties heretofore performed by the town- ship board.

Section 2. There shall be elected in each county one township clerk, who shall in addition to the duties heretofore performed by him, perforin the duties of clerk to the board of supervisors.

December 7, 1836

An act to locate and establish a territorial road west of the Mississippi. It provides that Abel Galland and Soloman Perkins, Benjamine Clark, Adam Sher- rill, William Jones and Henry L. Lander, be and the same are hereby appointed commissioners to make and lay out a territorial road west of the Mississippi, commencing at Farmington on the Des Moines river, thence to Moffit's Mill, thence the nearest and best route to Burlington in Des Moines County, thence to Wapello, thence by the nearest and best route to Dubuque, and thence by the nearest and best route to the ferry opposite Prairie Du Chien.

Section 4 provides that the engineers within one month from the completion of the survey shall make a correct plat and field notes, one copy to be filed in the office of the Clerk in each county through which the contemplated road shall pass.

Section 8 provides that the commissioners within three months from the completion of the survey shall make a report of the manner in which they have discharged their duties, including an estimate of the probable cost of constructing the necessary bridges, with any other remarks deemed pertinent, one copy to be filed with the Clerk of the District Court for the counties through which the road may pass.

December 7, 1836

Act of the Territorial Legislature of Wisconsin dividing the County of Des Moines into several new counties. This act establishes the counties of Lee, Des Moines. Van Buren, Henry, Louisa, Musquitine and Cook.

Section 5 of the Act relates to Louisa County, and establishes the boundaries as follows :

"Beginning at the Mississippi river at the northeast corner of Des Moines, thence up said river twelve miles above the mouth of Iowa, thence west to the Indian boundary line, thence with said boundary line to the northwest corner of Henry and with the line of the same to the northwest corner of the county ot Des Moines : thence east with the line of the same county of Des Moines to the beginning."

(See map showing Louisa County as originally established.)

December 8. 1836

Act of the Territorial Legislature of Wisconsin concerning the Supreme and District Courts and defining their jurisdiction and powers. Section 7 is as fol- lows :

Be it further enacted that the District Courts established by an act of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Wisconsin entitled "An Act to establish

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 425

Judicial Districts for the Territory of Wisconsin and for other purposes, ap- proved the 15th of November, 1836, shall have original jurisdiction within their respective districts in all civil cases at law and in equity when the balance due or the thing demanded shall exceed $50.00 and shall have an appellate jurisdiction in all cases in the several districts from the probate courts and the decisions of the Justices of the Peace, and the said courts in term time and the Judges thereof in vacation shall have power to award through the territory and returnable in the proper County, writs of injunction, ne exeat, habeas corpus, and all other writs and processes that may be necessary to the due execution of the powers with which they are vested. And the said Courts shall respectively have power and authority to determine all cases of treason, felony, crimes and misdemeanors of whatever kind that may be committed within any county or place within their respective districts, and they may be brought before them by any rules or regu- lations provided by law.

December 8, 1836

Act of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature provides that the existing laws of Michigan as declared in full force by the Act of Congress which included the Territory of Wisconsin, be taken and construed liberally and beneficially for the purpose of giving said laws full force and effect, etc., and that whenever in said acts which are declared in force by this act, the word "Michigan" occurs, the word "Wisconsin" shall be substituted, and whenever by the said act powers are conferred and duties are imposed on the Supreme Courts or the Judges thereof, or County Courts or Judges thereof, the same shall be executed and performed by the District Courts and the Judges thereof in their respective Districts.

December 9, 1836

Act of the Territorial Legislature of Wisconsin, authorizing the Supervisors of each County to Grant licenses for not less than one year for groceries, victual- ing houses and ordinaries with permission to sell spirituous liquors and wine by small measure under such regulations as they may deem expedient.

February 27, 1837

Treaty with Sac and Fox Indians made September 28, 1836, and proclaimed February 27, 1837. The treaty ceded to the United States, the 400 square miles reserved by the treaty proclaimed February 13, 1833, known as "Keokuk's Re- serve."

By this treaty, the Indian title (if there ever was any) was extinguished so far as all Louisa County land was concerned, not embraced in the "Black Hawk Purchase."

December 20, 1837

Act of the Territorial Legislature of Wisconsin, provides for the organization of a board of County Commissioners, consisting of three qualified electors, the first election to take place on the first Monday in March next, and thereafter at the general elections.

426 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

January iS, 1838

An Act to establish the boundaries of the Counties of Lee, Van Buren, Des Moines, Henry, Louisa, Muscatine and Slaughter, to locate seats of Justice and for other purposes.

Section 5 relates to Louisa County, and is as follows : The boundaries of Louisa County shall be as follows, to-wit : "Beginning at the northeast corner of Des Moines County, thence west to the northwest corner of said County, thence north with the range line between ranges four and five west to the township line dividing townships 75 and 76 north, thence east with said line to the Mississippi river, thence down the same to the place of beginning, and the seat of lustice of said county is hereby established at the town of Lower Wappello."' By this Act all of Louisa County west of Range 4 was attached to a new county named Slaughter. This left all of the present township of Elm Grove, the greater part of Columbus City, and all of Union and Oakland in Slaughter county. The present site of Columbus City was in Slaughter county.

January 19, 1838

Act of the Territorial Legislature of Wisconsin, providing that in actions of trespass and for possession of real estate when any person may settle on any of the public lands in this territory where the same have not been sold by the gen- eral government his, her or their possession shall be construed on the trial as extending to the boundaries imposed by the claim of such person or persons, so as to enable him, her or them to have and maintain either of the aforesaid actions without being compelled to prove the actual enclosure, provided that such claim shall not exceed in number of acres the amount limited to any one person ac- cording to the custom of the neighborhood in which such land is situated, and shall not in any case exceed in extent 320 acres.

January 23, 1838

Act of the Territorial Legislature of Wisconsin, providing that the counties of Louisa and Slaughter shall form the 13th Electoral District, and shall be entitled to elect one member of the House of Representatives.

July, 1838

Act of Congress making appropriations for certain roads in the Territory of Wisconsin. One provision of this act is as follows: "For the survey of the Des Moines and Iowa rivers, with a view to the improvement of their naviga- tion, a sum not exceeding $1,000."

July. 1838

Proclamation by William B. Conway, acting governor of Iowa Territory, dated July 25, 1838, dividing the territory into judicial districts; the counties of Scott, Musquitine, Louisa, Slaughter and Johnson, were made the second judicial district, which was assigned to Hon. Joseph Williams.

1838

There is in the office of the secretary of state at Des Moines the manuscript (not dated nor signed, but purporting to be issued by William B. Conway, "act- ing governor") of a proclamation fixing the date of the election for the second

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 427

Monday in September following, and dividing the territory into electoral dis- tricts, and apportioning the members of the council and house. It declares that the counties of Louisa, Muscatine and Slaughter, and the country lying west and at- tached to Slaughter for judicial purposes, shall form the fifth legislative district and elect one member of the council and four members of the house.

July 3. [838

The Act of Congress approved June 12, 1838, established the Territory of Iowa, and took effect from and after "the third day of July next." it included "all that part of Wisconsin, which lies west of the Mississippi river, and west of a line drawn due north from the head waters or sources of the Mississippi to the territorial line."

Act of Congress, approved March 3, 1839, "to alter and amend the organic law of the Territories of Wisconsin and Iowa."

Act of Congress approved March 3, 1839. "to authorize the election or ap- pointment of certain officers in the Territory of Iowa, and for other purposes."

(The Act of establishing the Territory of Iowa and the two subsequent acts relating to it are published in the "prefix" to the Code of Iowa.)

July 25, 1838

Proclamation of William T.. Conway signing himself as "acting governor of the Territory of Iowa" (and who had been duly appointed secretary of the Terri- tory), in pursuance of the act establishing the Territory of Iowa, defined the Judicial districts of the territory and assigned the Judges of the Supreme Court to their respective districts. The Second District was composed of the counties of Scott, Musquitine, Louisa, Slaughter and Johnson, and Judge Joseph Wil- liams was assigned to hold District Court therein, and the Court term in Louisa County was to begin on the third Monday in October.

About the same time as the last proclamation was issued William B. Conway fixed the electoral districts of the new Territory of Iowa, and provided that the counties of Louisa, Muscatine and Slaughter, and the country lying west of and attached to Slaughter should form the Fifth Legislative District, and elect one member of the council and four members of the house of representatives.

August, 1838

Proclamation of Governor Robert Lucas, dated August 15, 1838, in pursu- ance of Section 4. of Act of Congress, of June 12, 1838, establishing the Territory of Iowa. This proclamation apportions the "numbers" of the council and house of representatives, fixing the membership of the council at thirteen and of the house at twenty-six, and gives to Louisa, Musquitine and Slaughter, and the country lying west and attached to Slaughter, for judicial purposes, one member of the council and four members of the house of representatives.

October, 1838

Governor Robert Lucas on October 18, 1838, issued a proclamation reciting that by virtue of the authority of the act of June 12, 1838 (the organic act of Iowa), he had declared by proclamation the apportionment of members of the

428 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

council and house and "had caused an election to be held in the territory on September ioth last ;" he gives the names of the members elected and, among others, states that James M. Clark had been elected member of the council from the counties of Muscatine, Louisa and Slaughter, and that John Frierson, Wm, L. Toole, Levi Thornton and S. C. Hastings had been elected members of the house from said counties.

December, 1838

Act of Iowa territorial legislature for the organization of a board of county commissioners, consisting of three qualified electors, the one having the highest vote to serve three years, the next highest two, and the next one year, and thereafter one to be elected each year to serve three years.

December, 1838

An Act establishing a territorial road commencing at the town of Black Hawk in Louisa county ; thence the nearest and best route to Wapello in said county ; thence to Mt. Pleasant and Bentonsport ; thence to the southern line of Van Buren county "in a direction to Jefferson City in the state of Missouri." S. S. Gourley of Louisa county, was appointed as one of the commissioners to locate it.

December 29, 1838

Act establishes at the town of Wapello a seminary of learning to be called the "Wapello Seminary" and provides that "John Gilleland, Samuel Kirkpatrick, Hiram Smith, William Milligan, S. S. Gourley, Daniel Brewer, James M. Clark, John Eagen, Thomas England, Thomas Stoddard, Robert Williams, Wilson Isett, Joel Bronson, Veasey Bunnel, Mason Wilson, William H. R. Thomas, R. S. Searls, John Ronalds, W. L. Toole and their associates and successors will be a body politic incorporate by the name of the "Wapello Seminary."

January 4. 1839

An Act to organize a Territorial Militia, and dividing the territory into three divisions, the second division consisting of the counties of Louisa, Slaughter, Keokuk, Johnson. Linn, Cedar, Scott and Muscatine.

January 12. 1839

An Act of the Territorial Legislature of Iowa, fixing the boundaries of Louisa county as follows :

"Beginning at the main channel of the .Mississippi river on the line dividing townships 72 and j$ north, thence west on said township line to the line divid- ing Des Moines and Henry counties ; thence north on said line to the line dividing townships jt, and 74 north ; thence west on said township line to the range line between 5 and 6 west ; thence north with said line to the township line dividing townships 76 and 77 north; thence east with said line to the line of Muscatine county; thence south with said county line to the line dividing townships 75 and 76 north; thence east on said township line to the Mississippi river ; thence down the main channel of said river to the place of beginning."

By this act the county regained townships 74 and 75 in range 5. and got in addition, township 76, range 5, which had not before been a part of the county.

1 1 1 ST< > R Y OF LOU I SA COUNTY 429

This act provided for an election for the county seat to be held on the first Monday in March, 1839.

January 21, 1839

Louisa county was made a part of the Second Judicial District, and terms of the district court were to be held on the second Monday in June and October, and Judge Joseph Williams of the Supreme court was assigned to the Second District as district judge thereof.

January 21, 1839

On this dav two acts were passed relating to the seat of government of the territory ; the first one provided for the appointment of three commissioners, one from each judicial district, they to be appointed by joint ballot of the coun- cil of the house of representatives to locate and establish a permanent seat of government in Johnson county, and the second was entitled, "A supplementary act" relating to the same matter, and it provides that the town selected as the seat of government should be called Iowa City, and that Chauncey Swan, John Ronalds and Robert Ralston should be the commissioners.

January 21, 1839

An Act to district the territory of Iowa into electoral districts. It declared that the counties of Louisa and Slaughter should form an electoral district and be entitled to two members of the House of Representatives.

January 24, 1839

Section 7 of this act provides for the location and establishment of a Terri- torial road commencing at the Ferry landing opposite Oquawka, Illinois ; thence by the nearest and best route by way of Florence and Wapello to Napoleon in Johnson county. The act names William Brewer (meant for Daniel Brewer), and Jacob Rinearson of Louisa county as two of the commissioners.

January 24, 1839

An act to incorporate the Burlington and Iowa River Turnpike Company. The Louisa county incorporators were: James Guest, Israel Trask, Jonathan Parsons, James Erwin, Elisha Hooke, William Creighton, John H. Benson, M. Eastwood, Elias Keever, Daniel Brewer, James Gordon, Wm. L. Toole, Joshua Swank and Alvin Clark.

March, 1839. An Act of Congress to authorize the construction of a road from Dubuque in the Territory of Iowa to the northern boundary of the state of Mis- souri, and for other purposes. This act appropriated $1,500 to defray the expense of a survey of the Red Cedar river within the territory of Iowa, with a view to the improvement of the navigation thereof above the town of Moscow, and the connection of the said navigation with the river Mississippi by a canal ex- tending from the vicinity of said town to some suitable point in or near the town of Bloomington.

July 24, 1840

An Act provides as follows: "That the first territorial road from the ferry landing opposite Oquawka in Illinois to Napoleon in Johnson County, laid out and established by Daniel Brewer and Jacob S. Rinearson of Louisa County in the

480 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

summer of 1829, shall be as valid as though it had been located and boundaries thereof made by the persons whose names appeared as commissioners in the act establishing it."

It will be noticed that while the name of Daniel Brewer is correctly given, a mistake is made by fixing the date as 1829 instead of 1839.

July 30, 1840

Repeals all of the Acts of the Territory of Michigan and the Territory of Wisconsin which were in force in the Territory of Iowa on the 4th of July in 1838, and provides that none of the statutes of Great Britain shall be considered as the law of this territory, and also provides that this appeal shall not extend to any Wisconsin law which is private in its nature.

January 7, 1841

An Act to relocate that part of the road leading from Oquawka to Napoleon by way of Florence and Wapello that lies between Florence and Oquawka; ap- points Davie E. Blair. William Waddle and William Walter as commissioners.

January 9, 1841

An Act providing for the location and establishment of certain territorial roads in Louisa County. One is from the mouth of the Iowa river through Har- rison and Fredonia to the territorial road from Oquawka to Iowa City, and appoints G. W. Austin, J. R. Rockafeller and William Thompson as commis- sioners. Another road is from Black Hawk by way of Grandview to intersect the territorial road from Burlington to Iowa City, in Township yj north, Range 5 west in Johnson County, and Gabriel Walling of Louisa County is appointed as one of the commissioners.

Another road was to commence at Florence, thence to the residence of George Key, thence to the residence of William Buffington, Sr., and to intersect at the Washington County line the road running from Washington to Wapello. Phillip B. Harrison Tohn Mintun and Joseph Buffington were appointed commissioners.

Another road was to begin at Black Hawk, thence to the court house of Louisa County, crossing the Iowa river directly opposite said court house, thence to the county line by way of Hope farm, intersecting the territorial road from said county line by way of Mt. Pleasant to the Missouri line. George Humphrey, Perry Morrison and Joseph Newell were appointed commissioners.

This Act also in Section 5 authorized the county commissioners of Louisa county "if they think it expedient" to establish a ferry across the Iowa river where the last mentioned road should cross it, to be kept in operation under the direction of the county commissioners, and over which all citizens of the county, with their horses, teams, etc., should be ferried free of charge.

January 13. 1841

An Act providing for the establishment of a territorial road from Burling- ton to the town of Black Hawk, commencing on the north end of Water street in the upper end of Burlington, thence to the house of James Clark, thence to the town of Black Hawk. Dr. Fullenwider and Wesley Swank, and lames Clark

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY i;;i

were appointed commissioners. Wesley Swank may have been a resident of Louisa County at the time, but the other two lived in Des Moines County.

January 15, 1841

An Act to locate a territorial road from Columbus City in Louisa County to Smith's Mills in Henry County, Smith's Mills being on the Skunk river. George Key of Louisa County was one of the commissioners.

January 5, 1842

An Act to legalize the election of George L. Coe, as Probate Judge of Louisa County, because at the time he was elected to fill a vacancy, there wasn't time between the happening of the vacancy and the day of holding the election to give the required notice of a special election.

February 16, 1842

Vacates all that part of the town of Toolsborough situated west of Mound street, blocks 45 and 49 excepted.

February 17, 1842

An Act, — appoints James W. Isett, Thomas Stoddard and Samuel Wood- side commissioners to relocate, if they deem it expedient all that part of the territorial road lying between the town of Fredonia and Port Allen, in Louisa County.

February, 1842

An Act for the encouragement of agriculture. Date of approval not given, but the act immediately before it was approved February 17th, and the act imme- diately after it was approved February 18th. This act appropriates "for the pro- motion of agriculture and household manufactures in this territory certain sums to various counties, ranging from $20.00 to $140.00, the amount appropriated for Louisa County being $45.00.

January 26, 1843

An Act legalizing the establishment of the road, from the mouth of the Iowa River through Harrison and Fredonia, under act approved January 9, 1841.

January 24, 1843

An Act incorporating a seminary of learning in Grandview, to be called the Grandview seminary. The incorporators names are : Henry Rockafellow, Wil- liam Thompson, John Ronalds, Spencer Wilson, Robert Childers, Gabriel Wall- ing, George Humphrey, Alexander Ross, Martin Gray and Clark Alexander.

January 24, 1843

An Act legalizing the official acts and proceedings of Jacob Mintun who was appointed Justice of the Peace in the Spring of 1842, by the Trustees of Wapello township.

February 6, 1843

An Act to incorporate the Iowa Medical Society. Among the members named as incorporators are, John Bell, Jr.. and John Bell, Sr.

432 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

February 10, 1843

An Act authorizing Ezra F. Dennison and Newton I!. Dennison of Louisa County to establish a ferry across the Mississippi at or near the mouth of the Iowa River, and gives them the exclusive right to ferry for twenty vears, along the west bank of the Mississippi, extending one mile on either side of the middle of the channel of the Iowa River.

February 13, 1843

An Act vacating the original plat of the town of Port Allen, Louisa County, excepting certain blocks therein named, and legalizes the relocation of that part of the territorial road from the Mississippi river by way of Black Hawk and Fredonia to Iowa City which lies between Fredonia and Port Allen, made by Thomas Stoddard and James W. Isett under a previous act.

February 16, 1843

An Act to divorce a number of persons : the act contains twenty sections. The only sections of local interest are 15 and 16 which provide that the marriage con- tract between Elizabeth Ridge way, and William C. Ridgeway is dissolved, and Elizabeth Ridgeway shall be known by the name of Elizabeth Hurley, and that the name of the infant child of said parties shall be Joseph Newell Hurley. This bill was vetoed by the Governor, lmt passed both houses by a two-thirds majority.

February 16, 1843

An Act to locate a territorial road from Richmond in Washington county to Columbus City. Samuel Bell of Louisa county was one of the commissioners.

1843

Chapter 68. Revised Statute of 1843. provides for the election in each county of three county commissioners, a sheriff, coroner, recorder, treasurer, collector. judge of probate, surveyor and county commissioners' clerk: the treasurer, col- lector and county commissioners and members of the house of representatives to be elected on the first Tuesday of October, 1843, and on same day each year there- after : delegate to congress and county surveyor to be elected on first Tuesday in October, 1843, and on same day every second year thereafter: the election of mem- bers of the council, sheriff, commissioners' clerk, coroner and recorder, the first Tuesday of October, 1844. and even- second year thereafter: and the election for judge of probate, on the first Tuesday in October, 1843, ancl every third year thereafter.

February 12, 1844

An Act to provide for the expression of an opinion of the people of the ter- ritory upon the subject of the formation of a State Constitution. This act pro- vides for a vote of the people on "convention or no convention," and that if a majority of the votes were for a convention, the convention should consist of seventy members, and that Louisa County should be entitled to three members.

January 4, 1844

An Act to legalize the official acts of Isaac Parsons, Coroner of Louisa County, and acting Justice of the Peace of Jefferson township.

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HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 433

January 2J, 1844

An Act providing for the location of a territorial road from Wapello in Louisa County to Augusta in Des Moines County and names Thomas Stoddard and Merit Jamison of Louisa County as two of the commissioners.

February 7. 1844

An Act to incorporate the Grandview Literary and Philosophical Society, and names Alexander McCall, Lewis Kjinsey, Robert Childers, Spencer Wilson and Abraham McCleary as incorporators.

February 7. 1844

An Act to incorporate the "Toolesborough Manufacturing Company," and names William Shepherd, Daniel West. H. D. Smith. Ezra F. Dennison, Jonathan Parsons and William L. Toole as incorporators. The capital stock was limited to $40,000 in shares of $100.00 each, and the company was authorized to take from the Iowa river sufficient water for their purposes at a point on said river nearly opposite Iowa Town, and convey the same over or through any suitable grounds by means of a canal, race or water-way to a point at or near Toolesborough.

February 12, 1844

An Act authorizing Thomas J. Jamison and Edwin Jones, administrators of the estate of John Jones, deceased, to execute fee simple deeds for two lots in Grandview, known as lots number one and two in block number four. Deeds to be executed to the Trustees of the Grandview Seminary and their successors in office.

February 14, 1844

An Ac+ to perfect the collection of taxes in Louisa County. The act legalizes the proceedings of the sheriff in the collection of taxes on the tax duplicate for the year 1843, ancl provides for his payment over to the Treasurer of the money collected by him, etc. (It would seem from this that the Sheriff had been exer- cising the duties properly belonging to the collector of taxes.)

February 14, 1844

Act approved February 14, 1844, provides that Alvin Clark, of Louisa County is authorized to cause a complete and legal plat of Fredonia to be made out ac- cording to the survev made by John Gilliland in 1840 and to have the same duly recorded within go days from the passage of this act, and that all deeds, mortgages and other contracts in writing relating to lots in Fredonia shall be as legal and binding as if a complete plat had been made out and recorded prior to the execution of such deed, mortgage or contract.

February 15, 1844

An Act amending the act establishing a seminary of learning at Grandview, by making the shares of stock consist of $5.00 instead of $10.00, and provides that each share holder shall be entitled to one vote only, instead of one vote for each share.

Vol. 1—28

434 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

February. 1844

Act of Iowa territorial legislature providing for a vote on the question of constitutional convention and giving Louisa county three members of the con- vention.

June 19, 1844

An Act relating to the collection of taxes in Louisa County and authorizing the Board of County Commissioners to give the collector of taxes such further time to complete the collection as may be necessary.

March 3, 1845

Act of Congress for the admission of the State of Iowa and Florida into the Union. The boundaries of Iowa were fixed as follows:

"Beginning at the mouth of the Des Moines river, at the Middle of the Mis- sissippi, thence by the middle of the channel of that river to a parallel of latitude passing through the mouth of the Mankato, or Blue Earth river, thence west along the said parallel of latitude, to a point where it is intersected by a meridian line, seventeen degrees and thirty minutes west of the meridian of Washington City : thence due south to the northern boundary line of the State of Missouri ; thence eastwardly following that boundary to the point at which the same intersects the Des Moines river, thence by the middle of the channel of that river to the place of beginning."

May 28, 1845

Repeals so much of the act to vacate a part of the town plat of Port Allen approved February 13, 1843, as vacates that portion of Water street on the Iowa and Cedar rivers, and provides that said Water streets fronting on the Iowa and Cedar rivers opposite the town plat of Port Allen and within the bounds are declared public highways.

June 10, 1845

An Act appropriating $50.00 to Martin Ffarless of Louisa County for extra services as Sheriff in the year 1838.

January 19th, 1846

An Act changing the electoral districts, and providing that the Sixth District, composed of the counties of Louisa. Washington, Keokuk, Mahaska and Marion shall be entitled to one member of the council, and three members of the House of Representatives, and that the County of Louisa shall elect one member, and the counties of Washington and Keokuk shall elect one member, and the counties of Mahaska and Marion shall elect one member.

January, 1846.

Act of Iowa territorial legislature providing for a constitutional convention giving Louisa county one member, passed Januarv 17, 1846.

January 12, 1846

An Act authorizes C. Whipple & Co. to keep a ferry across the Iowa and Cedar rivers at the junction of said rivers opposite to the town of Fredonia.,

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 435

where the road leading from Columbus City to Bloomington crosses said Iowa river, and where the road leading from Fredonia to Iowa City crosses the Cedar river.

January 17, 1846

An Act providing for the election of delegates to a convention to form a Constitution, and provides that the convention shall consist of thirty-two mem- bers, and Louisa county is given one member.

January 17, 1846

An Act to locate a territorial road from Wapello in Louisa County to Augusta in Des Moines County, and names Joshua Marshall of Louisa County as one of the commissioners.

January 17, T846

Joint resolution of the Territorial Legislature, requesting our delegate in Congress, Honorable A. C. Dodge to have a mail route established from Mon- mouth, Illinois, by way of Keithsville (Keithsburg) Illinois, Wapello, Columbus City and Port Allen in Louisa County, to Iowa City.

1846

Joint resolution of territorial legislature approved January 17, 1846, requesting Hon. A. C. Dodge, delegate in congress, to use his exertions to procure an appro- priation of five thousand dollars to improve the territorial road across the Mis- sissippi bottom between Toolesboro and the Mississippi river.

August 4, 1846

Act of Congress supplemental to the act for the admission of the State of Iowa and Florida into the Union. This act, among other things, provides "that section numbered sixteen in every township of the public lands, and where said section has been sold or otherwise disposed of, other lands equivalent thereto, and as contiguous as may be, shall be granted to the State for the use of Schools."

August 4, 1846

Act defining the boundaries of Iowa, and repealing so much of the act of March 3, 1845, as relates to the boundaries of Iowa. This act fixes the bound- aries of the State of Iowa as follows :

"Beginning in the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi river, at a point due east of the middle of the mouth of the main channel of the Des Moines River; thence up the middle of the main channel of the said Des Moines river to a point on said river where the northern boundary-line of the State of Mis- souri as established by the constitution of that state adopted June twelfth, eight- een hundred and twenty, crosses the said middle of the main channel of the said Des Moines river ; thence westwardly, along the said northern boundary line of the State of Missouri as established at the time aforesaid ; until an extension of said line intersects the middle of the main channel of the Missouri river; thence up the middle of the main channel of the said Missouri river to a point opposite the middle of the main channel of the Big Sioux River according to Nicollet's

436 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

map: thence up the main channel of the said Big Sioux River, according to said map. until it is intersected by the parallel of forty-three degrees and thirty min- utes north latitude ; thence east along said parallel of forty-three degrees and thirty minutes until said parallel intersects the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi river: thence down the middle of the main channel of said .Missis- sippi river to the place of beginning.'*

December 28. 1846

Act of Congress recites that whereas the people of Iowa did. on May 18. 1846, by a convention assembled for that purpose form a constitution and state govern- ment, etc. etc.. and provides that the -tate of [owa is admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original states.

1846.

The constitution of 1846 apportioned the members of the general assembly, and gave to "'the counties of Louisa and Washington one senator jointly, and one representative each." This constitution was adopted by the convention May 18, 1846, and ratified by the people August 3. 1846: and the governor appointed Monday, October 26, as the day for holding the first election under it. Act of Congress admitting Iowa as a state became a law. by the approval of President Polk, on December 28, 1846.

January 24. 1X47

An Act in relation to common schools, containing 47 sections. Section :;(> provides that at the next annual township election in every organized countv in the State, there shall be elected a School Fund Commissioner for the Countv. who shall hold his office for two years, etc.

February 2, 1847

Joint resolution of the Iowa Legislature requesting our representatives in Congress to use their best exertions to obtain an appropriation, either of land or money, sufficient to improve the navigation of the Iowa river from its mouth to Iowa City.

February 3. 1847

A joint resolution instructing our representatives in Congress to use their best endeavors to obtain an appropriation either of land or money, to improve the navigation of the Cedar River, from its mouth or where it empties into the Mississippi after its junction with the Iowa river to the commonly called Forks of said river in Black Hawk county.

February 4. 1847

An Act to divide the State of Iowa into Judicial Districts. The First District was composed of Lee. Des Moines, Louisa. Washington and Henry Counties.

February 8. 1847

An Act locating a State road from Wallings Landing by way of Grandview, Fredonia, Columbus City and CrawfonLville to Washington, and appointed

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 4ii7

Spencer Wilson, Aaron D. Hawley (Hurley) of Louisa County, and Joseph Neal of Washington County as commissioners.

February 12, 1847

An Act to locate a State road from Wallings Landing to Columbus City, and appoints Benjamin Stoddard, Jeremiah Fish, and Aaron D. Hawley as commis- sioners to locate the road.

February 22, 1847

An Act providing for laying off counties into County Commissioner Districts.

February 22, 1847

An Act dividing the State into Congressional Districts, the Second District was composed of the counties of Clinton, Dubuque, Delaware, Johnson, Clayton, Jones, Linn, Powesheik, Benton, Iowa, Jackson, Cedar, Scott, Muscatine, Wash- ington, Louisa and Des Moines and all the country north of a line from the northwest corner of the county of Polk running west to the Missouri River.

January 22, 1848

Joint resolution asking our delegation in Congress to use their endeavors to obtain a grant of 10,000 acres of land foi the improvement of Muscatine Island on the Mississippi river.

January 22, 1S48

An Act to review a part of the state road from Walling's Landing to Colum- bus City, and appointing Benjamine Stoddard and Zachariah Kurts and Aaron D. Hawley as commissioners.

January 24, 1848

An Act authorizing David Sterrett, his heirs and assigns to construct a canal or Mill race not exceeding in width one hundred feet from any logical point of the Pittsburg chute of the Iowa River to intersect said Iowa River at a point at or near England's Addition to Wapello running through a part of Block 17 and the northern part of Water street in England's addition, with the privilege of constructing a dam across Pittsburg Chute, and the right to use the water power acquired thereby, and the right of way into and upon an}' land along the line of said race for said purpose. Provision was also made for the payment of damages to land owners, amount to be determined by the District Court.

January 25. 1848

An Act to authorize A. W. Thompson to establish a ferry across the Mis- sissippi river at a point in Louisa County opposite Keithsburg.

December 16, 1848

A memorial adopted by the Iowa Legislature to Congress asking an appropria- tion of lands to aid in the construction of a canal from Iowa City to the mouth of the Iowa River.

December 27, 1848

An Act to establish a State road from Mrs. Feslers in Johnson County to Columbus Citv in Louisa County.

438 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

January 15, 1849

An Act to lay out and establish a State road from Grandview in Louisa County to Bloomington in Muscatine County and appoints Alexander Ross and Elias Thornton of Louisa County as two of the commissioners.

January 15, 1849

Wesley W. Garner of Louisa County was allowed $9.00 for three day's service as official clerk of the General Assembly.

January, 1849

Act approved January 23. 1849. providing for the election of school fund commissioners on the first Monday in April. 1850, and biennially thereafter. See also Code of 1851, Sections 1089 to 1106.

September 28, 1850

Act of Congress relating to the Swamp Lands, provides as follows : "That to enable the State of Arkansas to construct the necessary levees and drains to reclaim the swamp and overflowed lands therein, the whole of those swamp or overflowed lands made unfit thereby for cultivation which shall remain unsold at the passage of this act. shall be, and the same are hereby granted to said state." It is further provided that the secretary of the Interior shall make out and transmit to the governor of Arkansas a list of such lands, and cause same to be patented to the State, which patent shall vest the fee simple title in said state subject to the disposal of the legislature.

It is further provided "that the provisions of this act be extended to, and their benefits be conferred upon, each of the other states of the Union, in which such swamp and overflowed lands, known and designated as aforesaid, may be situated." (See Act of February 5, 1851, and Act of February 2, 1853. and also Act of Congress of March 3, 1855.)

January 21, 185 1

An Act granting the Toolesboro and Burlington Plank Road Company a right of way, not exceeding 60 feet in breadth.

February 4. 1 85 1

An Act granting the Burlington and Louisa Countv Plank Road Company a right of way.

February 5. 1851

An Act granting the Burlington, Wapello & Virginia Grove Plank Road & Bridge Company, a right of way.

February, 1851

The code of 1851, approved February 5 of that year, provides for the elec- tion at the August election of 1S51, of a county judge for four years, and a sheriff, coroner, recorder, surveyor and supervisor of roads, for two years each. Prosecuting attorneys and clerks of the court were to be elected in 1852 at the general election, each for the term of two years.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

439

February 5, 185 1

An Act in relation to the swamp lands, provides that the commissioner of the State Land Office may take steps to secure to the State the swamp lands granted by the act of Congress of September 28, 1850. It also authorizes the commis^ sioner to dispose of any of the swamp lands of the state for such prices as he may think them worth.

February 5, 185 1

An Act to reapportion the State, provides that the counties of Louisa and Washington shall have two representatives each, and one senator jointlv.

January 22. 1853

An Act vacating so much of the town of Toolesboro, as is north of the Main street and east of Mound street in said town, except block number 43.

January 22, 1853

An Act in relation to certain State roads. Section 42 of it provides that Samuel Lucas of Muscatine County and J. R. Sisson of Louisa County, and Jonathan Wilson of Washington County are appointed commissioners to locate said road on the nearest and best grounds from Muscatine to Washington.

January 22, 1853

Resolution of the General Assembly in regard to mail facilities, instructing and requesting our senators and representatives to use their influence to procure additional mail facilities. A large number of mail routes are asked for includ- ing one from Port Allen by way of Hawk Eye and Black Hawk to Muscatine three times a week.

January 24, 1853

An Act reapportioning the state into representative districts, and makes Louisa Cou'nty the 14th District and entitled to one representative.

January 24, 1853

An Act appointing William H. Miller of Muscatine County and John C. Lockwood of Louisa County, -agents and superintendents of the construction of the necessary levees and drains to reclaim the swamp lands situated on the Mus- catine Island and on the borders of the Muscatine slough within Muscatine and Louisa Counties.

February 2, 1853

An" Act to dispose of the swamp and overflowed lands within the state, pro- vides that all the swamp and overflowed lands granted to the State of Iowa by Act of Congress approved September 28, 1850, there shall be grante'd to the counties respectively in which the same may lie or be situated for the purpose of constructing the necessary levees and drains to reclaim the same, and the balance of said lands, if any there shall be after the same are reclaimed, shall be applied to the building of roads and bridges when necessary, through and across said lands, and if not needed for this purpose, to be expended in building roads and bridges within the country.

440 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

January, 1855

Act approved January 24, 1855, for a convention to revise or amend the constitution and making the number of delegates correspond to the number of senators in the general assembly, thus giving Louisa county one delegate.

January 13, 1855

Joint resolution of the Iowa General Assembly asking for. additional mail facilities. One route mentioned is from Muscatine to Oskaloosa by way of Columbus City, Washington and Sigourney, in coaches six times a week.

January 23. 1855

An Act to annex so much of fractional lot six in Section 11, Township jj. Range 2 in the State of Iowa as is surveyed into town lots to the town of Toolesboro. Louisa Count)", [owa.

January 25, 1855

An Act to apportion the State and to define the boundaries of the senatorial and representative districts. The County of Louisa is made the 13th district and is entitled to one senator, and is made the 17th representative district, and entitled to one representative. And the counties of Louisa and Washington were made the 19th District, and entitled to one representative. This latter was called a "floating," or "flotorial" district.

March 3, 1855

Act of Congress approved March 3rd. 1855. authorizing the issue of patents to individuals who had purchased swamp lands, and providing also for the pay- ment by the United States, to the State, of indemnity for such lands, properly a part of the swamp land grant, as had been sold by the government.

(The Act of 1850. as originally reported by the committee granted only such lands, as were designated on the government plats of surveys as "swamp" or "unfit for cultivation ;" but amendments were adopted making it apply to swamp or overflowed lands, without reference to the description on the surveyor's plats. In 1851, Secretary of the Interior Stuart had decided that the swamp land act of 1850 was a grant in praesenti, and vested title in the states to all swamp or over- flowed lands. Many conflicts arose, because of entries by and sales to, individ- uals of lands which afterward were found to be swamp lands: the act of March 3d, 1855, was passed to settle these conflicting claims.)

July 15, 1856

An .Vet authorizing the levy of a tax upon the lands upon Muscatine [sland and upon adjoining lands to construct levees and to preserve said lands from overflow.

July 15, 1856

An Act to incorporate the City of Wapello.

July. 1856

Act approved July 15, 1856. vacates the alley in Block 14 in the town of Grandview, and in Block 16 and 25 in Springer's Addition to Grandview.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 441

January 21, 1857

An Act to amend the act to incorporate the City of Wapello.

January 22, 1857

An Act providing that all that part of the original town plat of the town of Tooleshoro in Louisa County, Iowa, heretofore vacated by acts approved Feb- ruary 16, 1842, and January 22, 1853, and being east of Fort street in said town be restored and made a part of said town, and the streets and alleys made public highways. The act is to take effect from and after its publication in the Wapello Intelligencer and the Burns Commercial.

January 24, 1857

An Act authorizing Wesley W. Garner, James M. Robertson and William L. Toole of Louisa County to sell Out Lot Number 4, Columbus City, and to execute conveyance therefor. It provides that they shall first apply the proceeds of said sale or so much thereof as may be necessary to the payment of the debts created by the trustees of the Columbus City Seminary, and if any money shall remain after the payment of such debts and expenses of sale, it shall be invested in books for the use of some public library in Columbus City.

January 2~, 1857

An Act to apportion the State into representative Districts. Section 31 pro- vides that the County of Louisa shall constitute the 31st representative district and have one representative. Section 7,2 provides that the county of Des Moines shall constitute the 32nd representative district, and shall have two representatives.

Section 33 provides that the counties of Des Moines and Louisa jointly, shall constitute the 33rd representative district, and have one representative. The latter was also a floating district.

January 28, 1857

An Act providing for the location of certain State roads. Section 11 provides that Evan J. and Samuel M. Hallowel of Henry County, and A. D. Hurley of Louisa County should be the commissioners to locate a State road from Mt. Pleasant to Wapello.

January 28, 1857

An Act in relation to State roads. Section 17 provides that Christian Hershe, R. H. W. Brent and Ananias Simpkins of Muscatine County be appointed com- missioners to locate a State road from Muscatine to Grandview.

January 28, 1857

An Act to incorporate the City of Burris in Louisa County, Iowa, to take effect from and after its publication in the Wapello Intelligencer and the Burris Commercial.

March 16. 1858

An Act to provide for levying a tax on certain lands to build a levee on Mus- catine Island, and for the election of levee commissioners.

442 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

March 20. 1858

An Act creating the first Judicial District and defining the boundaries. Sec- tion 2 provides that the Counties of Lee, Henry. Des Moines and Lucas shall constitute the First District. The name •"Lucas" here is undoubtedly intended for Louisa. Lucas county is also included in the 2nd District.

March 22, 1858

An Act apportioning the State into representative Districts, makes Louisa County the 18th District, and entitled to one representative.

March 25, 1858

An Act ordering a special election throughout the State on the 4th Monday of June, 1858, to submit to the people the question whether or not an act entitled, an act authorizing general banking in the State of Iowa passed by the Seventh General Assembly, should go into effect and be in force, and also whether an act entitled, an act to incorporate a State Rank of Iowa, passed by the Seventh Gen- eral Assembly should go into effect and be in force.

March 25. 1858

Joint Appropriation Act. From this it seems that one dollar was paid to the Wapello Intelligencer, and fifty cents to the Wapello Gazette.

March 3, i860

An Act authorizing the owners of land subject to overflow situated on the Iowa and Mississippi river bottom in Des Moines and Louisa Counties to raise a tax upon said lands, for the purpose of repairing, continuing and extending the levee now commenced.

March, i860

Act creating a county board of supervisors, approved March 22d and took effect July 4th.

April 2, i860

An Act apportioning the State into representative districts makes Louisa County the 16th District, and entitled to one representative.

April 5, 1862

An Act repealing the act which provided for levying a tax to complete and keep in repair the levee on Muscatine Island, etc.

March 5, 1862

An Act apportioning the State into Senatorial Districts makes Louisa County the 14th District and entitled to one Senator.

April 8, 1S62

An Act for the relief of Jacob Mintun, recites that during his term of office a number of judgments were rendered and entered on his docket which have not his signature thereto, and authorizes him to sign the judgments rendered by him and making them legal and binding.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 443

April 8, 1862

An Act to divide the State into Six Congressional Districts, the First District being composed of Lee, Van Buren, Davis, Jefferson, Henry, Des Moines, Louisa and Washington Counties.

April 8, 1862

An Act apportioning the State into representative Districts, leaving Louisa County still as the 17th District, and entitled to one representative.

September II, 1862

An Act to enable the qualified electors of this state in the military service to vote at certain elections.

March 28. 1864

A new apportionment act was passed as to representative Districts but makes no change as to Louisa County.

March 30. 1866

An Act to legalize an election held by the legal voters of the town of Morning Sun to form an independent School District, etc.

April 2, 1866

An Act apportioning the State into Senatorial Districts, makes Louisa County the 14th Senatorial District, and entitled to one senator.

1866

The nth General Assembly passed a resolution favoring the tri-weekly mail route from Burlington Ononwa by way of Port Louisa and Grand view.

April 2, 1866

An Act making appropriations for the per diem and expenses of the nth General Assembly, and other purposes. Section 71 appropriates for the expenses in relation to the sickness and funeral of Honorable N. T. Brown (who was a representative from Louisa County), the sum of $211.65, as follows:

Railroad and stage fare to and from- Des Moines of Mrs. Brown and her

son $4i.oo

Incidental expenses 5-°°

Medicine and Board 24.30

Shroud, crape, etc 11.60

Burial lot in the cemetery of the state IQ73

Coffin and hearse 36.00

Two carriages 9-°°

For draping hall 9-5°

Digging grave 5-°°

Dr. Robertson, 10 day's attendance 25.00

Dr. Boomer, 10 day's attendance 25.00

444 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

January 31, 1868

An Act to correct an error caused by omitting Louisa County in the distribu- tion of railroad taxes due in the years 1863, 1864 and 1865.

April 2, 1868

An Act to enable public corporations to settle their indebtedness, and for this purpose altering and amending existing charters and laws.

April 2, 186S

An Act to legalize certain judgments rendered by Benjamine Furnace, a Jus- tice of the Peace in Louisa County, Iowa, because of his failure to sign the same at the time they were rendered.

April 3, 1868

An Act establishing Circuit and General term courts and defining their powers and jurisdiction. The Counties of Henry and Louisa constitute the Second Circuit in the First Judicial District.

April, 1868

Act approved April 7, 1868, created the office of county auditor and providing that at the general election preceding the expiration of the term of office of the present count}' judge in any county, and every two years thereafter, there should be elected in each organized county in this state, a county auditor, whose term of office shall commence on the rst oi January following his election. The act further directed that the county judge in each county should be ex-officio auditor after January 1. 1869, and until an auditor was elected and qualified and there- after the office of county judge should cease.

April 7, 1868

Apportionment act for representative districts, makes Louisa County the 27th District and entitled to one representative.

April 8, 1868

Senatorial apportionment act makes Louisa County the 14th Senatorial Dis- trict, and entitled to one Senator.

April 2, 1868

Memorial and Joint Resolution of the Iowa Legislature asking Congress to declare the Iowa River I nnavigable from the City of Wapello in Louisa County North.

April 13, 1870

"1 here was a new apportionment for representative districts, but no change as to Louisa County.

April 14. 1870

An Act providing that on and after January 1, 1871, the Board of Supervisors should consist of three persons.

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 445

April i6, 1870

A senatorial apportionment act, makes Louisa County the 14th Senatorial Distriet, and entitled to one Senator.

May. 1870

Act of Congress in relation to the Iowa river in the state of iowa, approved May 6, 1870, provides that so much of the Iowa river in the state of Iowa as lies north of the town of Wapello shall be declared not a navigable river or public highway.

March 1 r. 1872

A joint resolution giving certain authority to the State Auditor in respect to credits claimed by the counties of Harrison, Howard, Marion, Jasper, Louisa, Bremer for State revenue alleged to have been stolen from said counties. In the preamble there is a statement of the special amounts claimed to have been stolen from the several counties, and the amount stated from Louisa County belonging to the general revenue of the State is, $4,592.28.

The Joint resolution authorizes the Auditor of State to receive and consider documentary or other evidence in writing which may be submitted to him, prior to the meeting of the next General Assembly in behalf of either of said counties touching the facts aforesaid as recited in the preamble, and in every case in which such averments may be sustained by such proof to his satisfaction, he is authorized and directed to give the proper corresponding credits to said counties, and report such action to the next General Assembly.

April 2", 1872

Representative apportionment act makes Louisa County the 28th District, with one representative, and the Senatorial apportionment act passed on the same day, provides that the counties of Louisa and Washington shall constitute the 15th District, and be entitled to one senator.

March 23. 1874

Representative apportionment Act; no change as to Louisa County.

March 17, 1876

Senatorial apportionment act constitutes Washington and Louisa Counties as the 14th Senatorial District, and entitled to one Senator.

March 17, 1876

Representative apportionment act. makes Louisa County the 30th District and entitled to one representative.

March 26, 1878

Representative apportionment act, makes Louisa County the 30th District and entitled to one representative.

August, 1882

Act of Congress making appropriations for the construction, repair and preservation of certain works on certain rivers and harbors, etc. This act directs

446 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

the secretary of war at his discretion to cause examinations or surveys, or both, and estimates of cost of improvements at a great many places. Among others is the Iowa river from Wapello to its mouth.

March 23, 1880

Senatorial apportionment. Louisa and Washington counties made the nth District, and entitled to one Senator.

March 23, 1882

Congressional apportionment, the First Congressional District made to consist of the following counties: Lee, Des Moines, Henry. Van Buren, Jefferson, Washington and Louisa.

March 24, 1880

Representative apportionment. Louisa County made the 30th District, and entitled to one Representative.

April 1. 1882

Representative apportionment. Louisa County made the 31st District, and entitled to one representative.

February zj, 1886

An Act to legalize the proceedings of the Board of Supervisors of Muscatine and Louisa Counties in locating and constructing a levee on Muscatine Island, and to provide fur the payment of the costs thereof.

March 19, 1886

An Act to legalize the acts and ordinances of the town council of the incor- porated town of Morning Sun.

April 5, 1886

At establishing the office of county attorney.

\pril 10, 1886

Representative apportionment. Louisa County made the 22nd District and entitled to one representative.

April 19, 1886

Senatorial apportionment. Muscatine and Louisa County made the 20th Senatorial District and entitled to one Senator.

July, 1892

An Act of Congress making appropriations for the construction, repair and preservation of certain public works, etc., directs the secretary of war to cause examinations to be made at a great many localities. Among others is the "Mis- sissippi river, Iowa side, from mouth of Iowa river to Bloomington, to determine the best method of removing the bars and deepening the channel."

HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY 447

August, 1894

Another river and harbor bill, approved August, 1894. similar to the last one, provision of which is as follows: "So much of the Iowa river within the state of Iowa as lies between the town of Toolesboro and the town of Wapello, in the county of Louisa, shall not be deemed a navigable river or public high- way, but dams and bridges may be constructed across it." This act further pro- vides for dredging the channel of the Mississippi river at Quincy, Illinois, and for continuing the improvement of the Mississippi river from the mouth of the Missouri to Minneapolis, and appropriates the sum of $15,000. and further pro- vides that out of said appropriation he shall cause a survey to be made on the west side of the Mississippi river, commencing at the mouth of Flint creek, in Des Moines county, state of Iowa, and running along the west bank of the river to the mouth of Iowa river, and along the east bank of the Mississippi river from the city of Warsaw to the city of Quincy, with a view to improving the navigation by preventing the water from overflowing the natural and artificial banks along those parts of the river, and deepening the channel.

March, 1895

Act of Congress, approved March 2, 1895, making appropriations for sun- dry civil expenses of the government for the year ending June 30, 1896, and for other purposes. This act appropriates $85,000 to commence the work under the direction of the secretary of war from the mouth of Flint creek, in Des Moines county, state of Iowa, and running along the west bank of the river to the mouth of the Iowa river, with a view to improving the navigation etc.

February 14, 1896

An Act to legalize the proceedings of the Board of Supervisors of Louisa County relative to restraining stock from running at large. Because of doubt as to legality of the notice.

February 17 1896

Joint resolutioon of the Iowa Legislature favoring appropriation by Congress for the reconstruction and repair of the Muscatine Island Levee.

March 19, 1896

An Act to legalize the ordinances of the City Council of the City of Wapello, granting a franchise to W. H. Prescott and his associates as the Wapello Elec- tric Light & Power Company.

April 20, 1896

Provides that the counties of Des Moines, Henry and Louisa shall consti- tute the 20th Judicial District, ami be entitled to two Judges.

June, 1896

Act of Congress, approved June 3, 1896, making appropriations for rivers and harbors. This act among other things appropriates $75,000 for the purpose of continuing the work of constructing artificial banks between the mouth of Flint

448 HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY

river (Flint creek), in Des Moines county, Iowa, and running along the west bank of the Mississippi river to the mouth of the Iowa river.

June, 1897

Act of Congress, approved June 4, 1897, making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the government, etc., appropriates $50,000 for continuing the work of constructing artificial banks between the mouth of Flint "river" and running along the west hank of the Mississippi river to the mouth of the Iowa river.

July, i{

Act of Congress, approved July 6, 1898, making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the government, etc.. appropriates $40,000, or so much of it as may be necessary to complete the construction of the levee from Flint creek to the Iowa river.

March, 1899

Act of Congress, approved March 3, 1890, making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the government, etc.. appropriates $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for the completion of a levee on the west bank of the Mis- sissippi river from the mouth of Flint creek, in Des Moines county, to the mouth of the Iowa river, in Louisa county.

February 14, 1906

An Act empowering the Governor and Secretary of State to make quit claim deeds conveying to the grantees of S. Dunham the interest of the state in certain lands in Sections 28 and 29, Township jt,, North, Range 1 west.

March 17, 191 1

Ait to legalize the incorporation of the town of Grandview, the election of its officers, the passage of its ordinances, etc., etc.

Approved March 17, 191 1. r.ecame a law by publication March 23, 1911.

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